ASSOCIATION FOR COMMUNAL HARMONY IN ASIA (ACHA)
www.asiapeace.org & www.indiapakistanpeace.org
4410 Verda Lane NE, Keizer, OR 97303, USA
asiapeace@comcast.net
Jan 15, 2009: Peace & Harmony News From India and Pakistan & Other Parts of S. Asia
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndiaPakistanPeaceDay
&
http://groups.google.com/group/peace--harmony-news-from-south-asia
IN THIS ISSUE
*I am a proud Pakistani Lahori in love with Bombay! Shahvar A. Khan, World Press, Jan 3, http://shahvaaralikhan.wordpress.com/2009/01/03/i-am-a-proud-pakistani-lahori-in-love-with-bombay /
“Haan boss. Mere ko Bandra jaane ka hai…Carter Road.” (Hey boss, I need to go to Bandra…Carter Road) I nonchalantly told our driver, Aslam, after getting out of the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.
My Lahori advertising colleagues who were accompanying me for this particular ad film shoot seemed quite amazed.“Dude, you sound like a local Bombay guy!”
I just reacted with an offhanded smirk, as I was more interested in lighting that cigarette I had desperately wanted to smoke since taking off from Lahore.
This was almost 8 months ago. Today as I watch the catastrophe and the aftermath of the Mumbai mayhem unravel on TV from my home near Model Town, Lahore, I try to grasp the significance of that phrase: “Local Bombay guy!”
What made me switch involuntarily from my usual Punjabized Lahori Urdu to urban colloquial Bambaya Hindi?
Was it that in these past 6 years, since returning from college in the United States, the most time that I had spent in any place, outside of Lahore, was in Bombay?
Or because some of my closest pals during those four unforgettable years at Trinity College, USA were Mumbaikars? They were the bulk of our relatively small, yet diverse South Asian community, where we were enemies, friends and neighbors all at the same time! Despite maintaining our distinctive national and political ethos as Pakistanis, Indians, Nepalis and Bangladeshis, we were a tightly knit composite ‘desi gang.’ Our camaraderie was so solid that we shared anything and everything under the sun; apart from underwears! And yet we had heated debates and fights on issues ranging from Kashmir to majoritarianism to communalism. Ironically, the last memory that I have of Trinity is of an Indian friend wiping tears off his eyes, while I glanced through t he rear view mirror of the cab taking me to the airport.
Or was the root of my Bombay accent an excessive diet of Bollywood? I remember when most kids watched Mickey Mouse cartoons, I was more engrossed in a Deewar or Sholay!
Perhaps all of the above, but something more!
“So, my sweetheart back home writes to me and wants to know what this gal in Bombay’s got that she hasn’t got. So I just write back to her and say, Nothin’, honey. Only she’s got it here!” Alvah Cecil Bessie
Yes. I am a born and bred proud Pakistani Lahori, who is unapologetically and madly in love with Bombay with no qualms in saying that again and again! Unlike my parents’ generation that was born in the midst of the partition hangover, my Pakistaniat (identity as a Pakistani) is beyond being just ‘anti-India’. After Lahore, Mumbai is my second home, where some of my Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Parsi friends live with their families; where I have been welcomed unconditionally, in fact often causing a rift between different aunts and uncles!
“Ali, you have to come straight to our place from the airport,” says a friend’s father.
“Okay, then you must stay with us later and leave for the airport from our place,” rebuts another aunt!
Sitting amongst them, in either their living rooms or sports bars, I have also watched and openly supported my Pakistani cricket heroes during the closest of India-Pakistan cricket matches. By the way, it’s the best feeling in the world watching Pakistan beat India when you are surrounded by Indian fans on Indian soil! However, after all the heated sloganeering and patriotic chanting, we usually always made up instantly and went out to party together at one of those bustling hang out spots at Pali Hill. The characteristic Bombay drizzle brought the temperatures further down!
And this is what I admire most about Bombay. Its charm has managed to even permeate through my “Pakistani” reality, but without offsetting it.
Right-wing engineered riots and innate nationalistic biases aside, the avant-garde cosmopolitan Mumbaikar, in essence, is a relativist — culturally, ethnically and religiously accommodative, despite sometimes being very devout in his personal life. He could even be living in his Marathi, Gujrati, or Muslim neighborhood, but works, eats and hangs out in a diverse gang with relative ease. Multi-cultural and secular, at least in spirit, and increasingly testing his threshold to become one in practice as well. Most young Bombayites I have come across are also not in constant denial of the idea and reality of ‘Pakistan’, in contrast to their predecessors.
“Mere jaise ban jaoge , Jab ishq tumhein ho jayega.” Jagjit Singh (You will become like me, when you fall in love)
Bombay is also the city of my dreams; due to my occupation (advertising) and passions (entertainment, film & music). Undeniably, Mumbai is for the egoistically ambitious - the city of the successful, for the successful. Only two types of people live there: strugglers and stars! It’s the desi New York, where competition is sincerely ruthless and opportunities abound. Only aptitude and performance matter at the end. I have personally experienced that on numerous occasions while working there; once we rejected the daughter of a famous producer after a screen test without taking any unwarranted pressure. Another time, after a session with a famous music director, who was giving me feedback on my music, I thanked him for the help. However, his respons e was blunt: “Ali mian! Remember one thing bro. In this city, no one does any favor for anyone. It’s all business.” This is Bombay for you!
Nevertheless, I am not trying to imply in any sense that Bombay is a utopian paradise completely free of bias, nepotism and corruption. It indeed has all these vices of a typical South Asian city in abundance, but genuine talent and perseverance are characteristics highly valued in Bombay. In a nutshell, the place doesn’t discourage dreamers — rather it challenges the extent of their madness! Perhaps, that is also why Bollywood has wholeheartedly, and without prejudice, embraced a Nusrat/Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ghulam Ali, Atif Aslam, Shafqat Amanat Ali, Ali Zafar, and recently, Javed Sheikh; all Pakistanis, but gifted.
Mumbai is also the stage where many of my mentors from Guru Dutt to Sahir to Rafi to Javed Akhtar to Prasoon Joshi have realized their dreams and I emulate them as a self-obsessed quixotic! Therefore, I have always felt a sense of spiritual belonging and affinity with Bombay, regardless of my Pakistani nationality. It has been as much mine as any Indian’s and in that sense, I feel, I am a “local Bombay guy”!
“Is Dawood living in Karachi? Have you seen any terrorist camps in Pakistan? Arre, haven’t you always stayed at the Taj or Oberoi?”
These days Mumbai has estranged me. Out of the blue, extraneous, irrelevant and alien questions are being asked by some of my Bombay friends. Queries that would have perhaps made more sense had I been the Pakistani President or the army chief! Unfortunately, I am just an ad man or at most a writer-singer.
Justifiably, for the moment, Mumbai seems anguished, traumatized and hurt. So am I. Yet, while most have been cordial, even my heartfelt commiserations have not gone down well with a few.
The newspaper headlines put it very aptly — “26/11” is indeed India’s 9/11. Since then, the “Musalman” and “Pakistan” factor has again taken precedent over all other things I represent. Once again, I am suddenly the “other”; being clubbed with those that I detest equally, if not more, since not only do they threaten my life through their recurrent suicide attacks in Pakistan, but also the identity of the community I belong to in this world.
“Oye lekin bhaijaan. Ye kya bakwaas hai yaar?” (Oh brother. What the hell is this dude?) Sometimes now, I also feel like retorting back at India in my Lahori accent. Jingoism is a trait found in abundance on both sides of the border. But we can all do without it!
However, I know, this moment will pass. Such spiritless attacks cannot threaten or transform my Bombay and its tolerant soul. India’s ‘secularism’ and Pakistan’s nascent ‘democracy’ will have to weather this storm as well. ‘Patriotism’ now will have to find a new meaning and another enemy. Both Karam Din and Karam Chand (Karam Din is a typical Muslim name, while Karam Chand is a Hindu name) will have to recollect and evoke the horror of 1947 — not to slash each other’s throats again, but to learn from our regrettable history and this time unite against maniacs that want to ‘divide & rule’ us again, whether in the name of ‘world freedom’ or ‘religion.’
While I write, Peshawar and Karachi have recently been engulfed with terrorist attacks and shoot outs. The trauma of the Islamabad Marriot carnage that occurred a few months ago is still lingering. Indian air force planes have “inadvertently” entered Pakistani airspace. Swat Taliban have announced ban on female education from Jan 15. The Pakistani masses remember and laud Benazir Bhutto, allegedly assassinated by extremist forces, on her 1st death anniversary. And Shiv Sena burns Pakistani music Taliban-style.
Nevertheless, according to Facebook, a few friends from New York City are attending Pakistanis Hold Vigil for Mumbai Victims, while I am thinking about Marine Drive and the aura it exudes, especially when you have a view from the Oberoi.
Lahore, for now, is standing by Mumbai.
The writer is an ad man, currently working on his solo music album and a film script. He can be reached at khanshahvar@gmail.com
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I am a proud Pakistani Lahori in love with Bombay! Shahvar A. Khan, World Press
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Poem of Irom Chanu Sharmila
By Irom Chanu Sharmila :-
Free my feet from the shackles
Like bangles made of thorn
Confined inside a narrow room
My fault lies in
Being incarnated as a bird.
Inside the dark room of the prison
Many voices echo around
Unlike the sound of birds
Not the merry laughter
Not that of a lullaby
A child snatched away from the mother's bosom
The lamentation of a mother
A woman separated from her husband
The cry of anguish of a widow
A cry springing out of a sepoy's hand
A ball of fire is seen
Dooms day follows it
The ball of fire was lit
By the product of science
Because of oral experimentation
Servants of sense organs
Everybody is in trance
Intoxication – the enemy of thinking
Wisdom of thinking is annihilated
No experimentation of thinking
Laughing with smiles on the face
By the traveller of coming beyond the hill ranges
Nothing remains but my laments
Nothing saved by the seeing eyes
Strength cannot show itself
Human life is precious
Before life comes to an end
Let me be light of darkness
Nectar will be sown
A true of immortality will be planted.
Putting on artificial wings
All the corners of the earth will be covered
Near the joining line of life and death
Morning songs will be sung
The chores of the world will be performed.
Let the gate of the prison be flung wide
I will not go on another path
Please remove the shackles of thorn
Let me be not accused
For being incarnated in the life of a bird.
Translated from Manipuri to English by
Wide Angle Social Development Organisation
Ms.Sharmila is 2007 Gwangju Human Rights co-awardee along with Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi
http://518interns.blogspot.com/2008/09/dr-lenin-meeting-with-ms-sharmila.html
Monday, November 17, 2008
Police torture of a doctor and lawyer in Varanasi,India
Dr. Amar Deep Gupta is permanent resident in S 11/24 in Chowkaghat under jurisdiction Jaitpura in Varanasi district. Dr. Amar Deep is living with his joint family in his forefather house he is running "Deep clinics" in one part of the house S 11/23 in chowkaghat since long time.
On 28th December, 2007 anti encroachment expedition came in after noon with out giving prior information start demolished the medical clinic of Dr. Amar Deep in which medicine and surgical instrument of lakhs Rupees were buried in the ground.
On 29th December, 2007 before demolishing Dr. Amar Deep Gupta and his younger brother advocate Ratan Deep Gupta show all original supportive document which prove the property of Dr. Amar Deep Gupta family.
When Dr. Amar Deep was showing paper to Circul Officer Chetganj Mr. Ashok Kumar Verma then some anti element throw stone and C.O gets injury on his face in reactionary work Station officer, C.O, city magistrate and other policeman present at that time brutally beat Dr. Amar deep Gupta and Ratan Deep Gupta with stick and but of the gun until both of them faint. Policeman arrest both Dr. Amar Deep and Ratan Gupta.
After of the incidence wife of Dr. Amar Deep (Ms. Mamta) and Ratan Deep Gupta (Ms. Shikha) went to Jaitpura police station to know about her husband. Station in charge Hari Ram Maurya and other police officer start abusing with ugly word to both Mamta and Shikha. Police officer threat and start swinging stick to both women. From print media personnel both women came to know their husband is kept in Jaitpura police station.
Both women in police station saw Dr. Amar Deep Gupta was faint and Ratan Deep Gupta right leg broke and he was drenched with blood. Approximately at 1:30 pm Ratan Deep Gupta condition become critical due to bleeding and he was admitted to District hospital in Varanasi in police custody. Amar Deep Gupta also becomes serious and he was also admitted to District hospital at 9 pm in the night. On 29th December, 2007 this news was aired on the television.
Section that was filed by police officer against Dr. Amar Deep and Ratan Deep Gupta are 147/325/332/333/352/353/504/506 of Indian Penal code and cr. L A .A
Please write to :National Human Rights Commission of India at ionhrc@nic.in
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
ACHA peace star award to Lenin
Dear ACHA,
I will not be able to attend.
Please give my congratulations to Dr. Lenin, whose commitment and untiring efforts in support of the Dalit movement and other groups surely entitles him to be recognized as an advocate of peace.
Jack Clancey
INVITATION
Sir/Madam,
Association for Communal Harmony (ACHA), United State of America is giving ACHA Peace Price 2008 to Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi of Varanasi (India) along with Mr.Karamat Ali, Mr.BM Kutti, and Mr.Mubashir Mirza of Pakistan.
In this context an award ceremony to present the certificate to Lenin is being organized in Varanasi.
You are cordially invited on this occasion.
Date : 29th October 2008, Day : Wedenesday, Time : 5:30 Pm
Venue : Hotel Kamesh Hut (Street Beside Veer Studio),
Jagatganj, Varanasi,UP,India
Yours sincerely
ACHA
www.asiapeace.org
Contact no. 09542037615,
09935599330
Note: The details of the program are as follows:
Program
1. Welcome
2. Why Dr. Lenin Raghuvanshi has been nominated for this peace award?
Tanveer Ahmad Siddique (Advocate)
Founder: Citizen's Front
http://518interns.blogspot.com/2008/10/dr-lenin-raghuvanshi-is-being-nominee.html3.
Peace award to Dr Lenin – by Dr Preetam K Rohila
4. Acceptance speech by Dr Lenin
5. Thanks
6. Moderated by Ashok Anand
To know about People's Vigilance Committee on Human Right log on to:
www.pvchr.org
www.pvchr.blogspot.com
www.lenin_shruti.blogspot.com
www.dalitwomen.blogspot.com
www.518.org
www.ahrchk.net
--
Please visit:
http://www.universalrights.net/heroes/display.php3?id=101
www.pvchr.org
www.youtube.com/pvchrindia
www.pvchr.blogspot.com
www.sapf.blogspot.com
www.antiwto.blogspot.com
www.rtfcup.blogspot.com
www.dalitwomen.blogspot.com
www.lenin-shruti.blogspot.com
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=51624734
Monday, September 22, 2008
Rohila Peace Pilgrimage to India & Pakistan
2008 PEACE PILGRIMAGE TO INDIA & PAKISTAN
Pritam & Kundan Rohila
4410 Verda Lane NE
Keizer, OR 97303, USA
asiapeace@comcast.net
Pritam and Kundan Rohila will visit India October 23 through October 31, and Pakistan November 24 through December 8, for a personal Peace Pilgrimage. They will visit Bhopal, Varanasi, Allahabad, Lucknow in India, and Karachi, Haiderabad, Sadiqabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi in Pakistan.
Currently, India and Pakistan face more threat from within their borders than from each other. Therefore, during their pilgrimage, at each place, Pritam and Kundan aim to hold conversations with the local peace and harmony activists and supporters, to solicit their views on the best ways to
1. Promote peace in our families and harmony in our neighborhoods; and
2. Help improve the effectiveness of the local peace and harmony organizations.
Pritam, 73, was born at Jagadhari, Haryana. He attended school at Jagadhari, Jamuna Nagar, and Karnal in Haryana, Kalka in Himachal Pradesh, and finally at Rupar in Punjab, where he lived from 1945-54.
After Bachelor of Teaching degree from D. M. College, Moga, in 1957, he moved to Delhi. There he pursued his studies for Master’s degree in Psychology, and Post-graduate Diploma in Educational Guidance, and worked as a secondary school teacher for the Directorate of Education, and as Research Assistant and Counselor/Lecturer for the Department of Psychological Foundations of the National Institute of Education, National Council for Educational Research and Training.
In 1967, he moved to the United States, to assist two University of Oregon professors of psychology with their crosscultural research project involving American, Indian and Dutch adolescents.
After Ph.D. in psychology in 1969, he moved to Washington State, where he worked as a clinical psychologist. In 1979, he moved back to Oregon to work as a clinical neuropsychologist. Before he retired from in 1999, he had worked in a variety of settings, including schools, mental health clinics, mental and general hospitals, prisons, and private practice. Associated with a number of U.S. and international professional organizations, he continues to be a member of the American Psychological Association.
His wife, Kundan, 67, was born and raised in Gujarat. She studied fine arts at M. S. University, Baroda. She moved to USA in 1974. Now retired, she has worked as salesperson and office manager and is a certified fork-lift operator. Also she is an excellent cook.
Since 1984, Pritam and Kundan have lived at Keizer, a small town, bordering Salem, the Capital of Oregon. They have four children and seven grandchildren, who live in Rawanda, Africa and in the U.S. states of California, North Carolina and Washington.
Pritam and Kundan love gardening and have travelled in 51 countries. From time to time, Pritam and Kundan have played a leading role in community organizations relating to arts, cultural, and women.
Pritam was deeply influenced by his personal childhood experiences relating to India’s Partition in 1947. Every night, from the roof of his home at Rupar, he saw flames and smoke rising in the neighboring villages from Muslim homes, which were being torched by some Hindu and Sikh bigots.
One morning he witnessed the area Muslim leaving their homes on foot, for a make-shift camp on the outskirts of the town. Soon hordes of local Hindus and Sikhs ransacked the Muslim homes, and made away with whatever they could carry.
A few days later, as they were walking to Sirhind to board a train to Pakistan, a mob surrounded some of them in a muddy field, and killed them.
Also from the Hindu and Sikh refugees, he heard the tragic tales of atrocities inflicted on them by some Muslims in Pakistan.
For a long time, every day, newspapers and radio related heart-rending accounts of carnage, from both sides of the Indo-Pak border. Also, for many years Urdu literature in India carried stories and poetry related to the Partition. “Us ney uska naam poochha, aur chura ghonp diya,” a piece from Saadat Hasan Manto’s Siyah Hashiye (Black Margins), still invades Pritam’s consciousness from time to time.
Destruction of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, and the unfortunate events which followed it in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, were the proverbial last straw, which moved Pritam. Together with Kundan, and some of their Indian and Pakistani friends in Portland area of Oregon, Pritam initiated efforts to found ACHA, the Association for Communal Harmony in Asia (www.asiapeace.org). He served as its first President, and is its Executive Director.
ACHA is dedicated to promoting peace in South Asia and harmony among South Asians everywhere. Asiapeace is its moderated electronic discussion forums. Also ACHA offers four electronic bulletins: Kashmir News, and Peace and Harmony News from India Pakistan every day; Peace and Harmony News from South Asia every week; and ACHA Peace Bulletin every month. Through them ACHA reaches roughly 2,500 individuals and groups, spread across five continents.
For the last few years, ACHA has been spearheading a campaign to promote peace between India and Pakistan (www.indiapakistanpeace.org). The campaign urges people to organize India-Pakistan Peace Day everywhere, any day between Pakistan Independence on August 14 and the International Day of Peace on September 21.
“Peace in My Family, Harmony in My Neighborhood,” is the theme for this year’s India-Pakistan Peace Day celebrations. The following Pledge of Peace & Harmony is the core feature of the celebrations:
I pledge –
I will not use my hands or my words to harm anyone;
I will treat my sisters and daughters with at least as much love and respect as I treat my brothers and sons; and
I will treat all my neighbors as deserving of my respect, regardless of their class, caste, sect or religion.
Also a Virtual Memorial for the Victims of India’s Partition in 1947 has been set up at http://noosphere.typepad.com/virtual_memorial/ Last year’s Petition of Apology to the victims of Partition is also open for signatures and comments at www.indiapakistanpeace.org
In 2004-05, Pritam and Kundan were members of a Peace and Goodwill Mission to India and Pakistan. Twenty-three non-resident Indians and Pakistanis from Canada, U.K., and USA visited Karachi, Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Amritsar, Srinagar, Delhi and Mumbai. They interacted with university students, media persons, bar associations, women and labor leaders, politicians, chambers of commerce and government officials, including Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Submission of MACR and CCRP on Manipur
To,
Hon’ble Chair person
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights
Subject – A memorandum on behalf of the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) and Coalition on Children Right to Protection (CCRP) seeking immediate tangible action for the protection of Child Rights in the State of Manipur.
Hon’ble Madam,
We, the undersigned, on behalf of the Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR) and Coalition on Children Right to Protection (CCRP) have the honour to lay down the following few line for your kind perusal and urgent action;
Key Demands :-
1. Recommend and pressurize the State Government to constitute its State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in Manipur on priority basis in order to protect and promote the basic rights of the deprived, conflict entangled and HIV/AIDS afflicted children of Manipur.
2. Kindly intervene and take up necessary steps to set up institutions for strengthening juvenile justice delivery system i.e. Special Juvenile Police Units in Manipur which has not been implemented since the introduction of the JJ Act in the state.
3. Kindly look into the pathetic condition of all the Juvenile Justice Boards in 8 districts of the state, which have been already constituted without appointing their respective Judicial Magistrates First Class/ Metropolitan Magistrates. Kindly advise the state government for immediate appointment of Judicial Magistrates First Class/ Metropolitan Magistrates for smooth functioning of the Boards.
4. Earnestly pleaded for your kind recommendation to the state and central government for repeal of Arms Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 (AFSPA), since the provisions of the said Act violates drastically the Right to Life of Children of Manipur who are already entangled with an armed conflict situation. We believe without restoring the right to life all the remaining basic rights of the children can not be protected.
5 That, AFSPA has left many children vulnerable with no adults to protect and guide them. AFSPA had also taken the lives of children like Yumlembam Sanamacha, Neta, the list goes on… The Government of India, who is morally responsible for the safety and welfare of the people of this biggest democracy, are responsible for making many children’s lives end so brutally and abruptly.
Looking forward to your warm and prompt response in the interest of the public.
Submitted by:
Montu Ahanthem S. Sharaju Devi
Manipur Alliance for Child Rights (MACR)
Coalition on Children Right to Protection (CCRP)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Patriot's Nokia Mobile (Pain of being an Indian Muslim)
Patriot’s Nokia Mobile
By: Omair Anas
Playing cricket in south Asia is a more than sport. It is mix of politics both at home and cross border. So much so that cricket diplomacy is employed when real diplomacy seems to fail. Being a student of International relations, I am always careful about cricket though not about playing. One has to learn when cricket is sport and when it is diplomacy. Beyond diplomacy, cricket is also important in domestic politics. If India and Pakistan are playing, 150 million Indian Muslims are always under suspicion. You can not celebrate your birthday or having baby in your marital life or even you can not enjoy wedding party by fire cracking if India is on loosing side that day against Pakistan. If you dare, you might have to face sedition charges by your majority population fellows.
But my experience is beyond real cricket. I am always careful about my national loyalty. Even I advise my friends not to recite any Islamic song or speak against BJP if your head is toward Pakistan. I think that Muslims should not watch this ICC champion trophy this year; rather, they spend their time watching some Bhakti, Astha channels.
This time my problem is more complicated as I am now a good player of cricket. I use to play 10 to 20 matches daily. You should not be confused; I am talking about virtual cricket on mobile. Mobile companies in south Asia are well aware of cricket mania in south Asia and always careful to exploit it to expand their market. You will find cricket game in most of mobiles sets across the variety.
I always try to win like all ambitious people. No game is always to win. You loose and win according to your preparation and coaching. Technology is always boon but when you use it to be winner like in cricket you might be caught in big mess of nationalism as I fell.
Today, I was playing cricket. I won all matches against Australia, Sri Lanka and many other important and non important teams. But I felt that I could not play well against Pakistan. I was loosing. I thought that my mobile may be Chinese one as China is strategic partner of Pakistan and some says that it is China which is behind Pakistani nuclear bombs. China is also one of the largest producers of mobiles. China is now playing tricks to support Pakistan by its invincible technology. Secondly, I didn’t purchase mobile in India. My brother has sent it from Saudi Arabia. There were no Hindi words printed on my pad. The second suspicious country behind my defeat was now Saudi Arabia. I know that Saudi Arabia is always supporting Pakistan. Even many responsible people in India and political groups and thinkers have been writing and speaking that Saudi Arabia is financing Pakistani terrorism.
My God! I will never use any electronic machine if it is imported from Saudi Arabia. My patriotism is always above all of my requirements.
I was assessing every aspect behind my defeat. I tried to check other factors also. Though I am never hopeful to get a prize from Indian state or BCCI if I become champion, I only wanted to get relaxed that I am as Indian as any other person. And to prove it I must had to win. I wanted to get a reason which could satisfy me.
Yes! Match fixing! But it is out of question. Only possible fixing might have happened between China and Pakistan.
I was feeling guilt. Either I shouldn’t play or I must have to win. Only a Hindu has right to loose without suspicion. Like fake currency case, a Hindu fake currency convict is only criminal but his Muslim assistant must be motivated by Islam and ISI. A Hindu thieve is only thieve and will get normal penalty without news coverage. But a Muslim can be thieving only when a Mufti of a Madrasah would have ordered him in the way of Jihad against India. Because A Muslim is never supposed to be thieve, robber, ganger. He is always pious as clerics do speak in Msjid. That is why Police do believe that a Muslim can not involve in any crime except for Al-Qaida, ISI and Jihad factors. Soharbuddin of MP was encountered because he was a criminal of that instinct.
I pledged I will never play cricket. I also decided I would not do any thing in which Pakistan is my competitor. If Pakistan is prospering, I would love to remain poor so that my prosperity couldn’t cause any suspicion for Indian police. If they are going Nepal to see beauty of Mount Everest, I will never like to go to Nepal. If they are going to the US, I would like to die or to be encountered by nationalist police in India. If they are getting higher education, I would love to remain illiterate for the sake of my nation, to protect it from any potential terrorism from educated Muslim youths. That is why Maulana Abul Kalam Azad despite his proven patriotism had not liked to be Prime Minister of India (or would not be allowed by his well wishers in Congress like Nehru). A Muslim can and should be content with only those ministries where a Pakistan is not a factor like Railway, Coal, minority affairs. Even if he is in those ministries, he is supposed to avoid any such event where Pakistanis are likely to attend. Yes, I got. E. Ahmad is always busy attending funerals of Muslim monarchs, parties, Haj groups and all showcase activities for Muslim world. IPI pipeline talks are only meant for Sharma. Wonderful! This is the way we Indian Muslims can prove our nationalism.
Remaining poor, uneducated and weak is now proof of our nationalist loyalty. See how the educated people of Muslim community are being reported by nationalist media that they are involved in writing Urdu letters for Jihadis, having Maps of metro cities, planning bomb blasts etc and thus being detained, encountered and tried by Indian Nationalist Police or the judiciary. You are disloyal if you are educated because you are potential threat to this country as you are trying to copy Pakistanis by getting higher education, demanding your political rights and involving in Indian politics only to mobilize support for Pakistan.
I am really very sad that I lost the match to Pakistani team in my Mobile Game. I didn’t want to tell anybody, but the pain of being a Muslim pushed me to confess my crime, though unintentional. I apologize to all loyal, nationalist people of this country that I lost the Cricket Match in my mobile. I couldn’t win because I was not Hindu. I want my self be arrested by Indian nationalist Police before they encounter me or be hanged by patriots whose loyalty is always guaranteed because they are not born as Muslims. Even they loss every match, even they sell confidential documents, produce fake currency, take refuge in US after long service in RAW or do any crime.
I can’t explain why I lost that match. I could not protect honour of my country against the deadliest enemy of my nation. Crimes of Muslims are not crimes; they are treason, handiworks of ISI, and assignments of Al-Qaida, indoctrinated by Osama bin Laden. I hate Daud Ibrahim because he is terrorist mafia; I love Chhota Rajan as he is nationalist mafia. I wish him to get a Bharat Ratana for his courage to challenge a terrorist. May be some day he leads Anti Terrorist Mafia Morcha of some patriot party. Muslim Mafia like Daud is terrorist, motivated by religion, wants to establish Islamic State, destabilize this nation and so on. A Muslim is either innocent like Christ or Terrorist like Osama. I lost the match to Pakistan; I do not know where I posit myself, with Daud, al-Qaida or like many Hindu losers. Should I deserve any sympathy, love, care of this nation despite my defeat?
Like other big Indian Muslims I preferred not to involve any where Pakistan is going to rival India. I stopped playing cricket or at least I leave the match if there is Pakistani team. Not to play seems me better than playing. I can not put my loyalty in question.
The happiest day came when like many Indians, I lost my mobile. First I thanked God that I got rid of a Saudi imported Chinese product. I wish some non Muslim person would have found it so that he could play the cricket without any sense of guilt in my mobile.
Fortunately one of my close friends, whose patriotism is ever guaranteed because his name is not like Muslims, uses Nokia mobile. I took his mobile for a few minutes and saw the highest score of his cricket. It was really appreciable. He was always winner. I started playing. Bad or good luck, I do not know, in the very first one day match, I had to play against Pakistan. But my wonder that I stroke three six one after the other, even I stood carelessly because of disappointment. I won the match with big margin against Pakistan. I was surprised on my victory. I was feeling good but I didn’t disclose it to my friend.
I was some relaxed but the question now became more complicated. Why not my mobile! Why this Hindu mobile won the match! I can never be a patriot in this country except I am not a Muslim. Can I love truly my country if I become a Hindu; I also want to love this nation. Can my love, patriotism be ever guaranteed and never be suspected if I become Hindu. Is this the only way to love my land, my people and mera Hindustan?
Would you please tell me? justmedia@gmail.com
Omair Anas
M.Phil Student
Center for West Asian Studies
JNU, New Delhi
9868068370
Friday, August 15, 2008
Announcement of 2007 Gwangju Human Right Prize
Announcement of Awardees of the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights
India is one of Asia's leading nations, boasting a brilliant civilization developed throughout its long history. However, its outdated social class system, the caste system, has long been indicated by the international community as one of the biggest obstacles to national development as well as the advancement of its citizens' basic human rights, since this system still holds sway over the reality of the Indian society through a rigid set of religious practices, despite its prohibition by national law.
In addition, the military powers of India have become the focus of international attention. This concerns the Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA) enacted in 1958, which is operative at the time of a 'suspected' riot(s) in order to 'maintain public order.' As this law allows killing by shooting, entering and search of property, and arbitrary detention, etc., its abuse is currently spawning grave human rights violations in some parts of India. Still, the practical near-impossibility of indicting the abusive military person(s) concerned is a more serious problem.
The 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee came to take a deep interest in the above two problems encountered by the Indian society today.
The caste system is composed mainly of 4 castes, and those who fall outside of this system altogether are often called the "untouchables." As the fifth caste, the untouchables are living across the nation, accounting for around 15% of the total Indian population. Traditionally, they have been engaged in the hardest and most difficult jobs in the Indian society, bearing the brunt of rigid caste-based discrimination in terms of residence, occupation, etc. Although the caste system was banned under the Indian constitution 50 years ago, it persists throughout all aspects of the present-day Indian civil society, proving powerfully effective in some 80% of the total Indian provinces.
Lenin Raghuvanshi and the People's Vigilance Committee On Human Rights, PVCHR) led by him, have put up vehement resistance against the caste system through various social activities, including the supporting of torture victims in 5 northern states with 50,000 members participating, and the operation of education centers in 45 viilages for the numerous number of local children. This organization has developed into a nationwide and worldwide network composed of legal experts, journalists, human rights advocacy groups, etc. Also, its leader has brought hope back to the minds of more than 3,500 bonded child laborers and those suffering human rights infringements prompted by the caste system, especially to the untouchables.
On November 2nd, 2000, the Indian military opened fire on its own citizens in the state of Manipur. This was one of the many such incidents following the enactment of the AFSPA. Since the incident in Manipur, Irom Sharmila, a resident of the tragic state, has refused to eat and drink anything in resistance to indiscriminate use of the AFSPA against civilians. The response of the Indian government to her resistance has been repetitively evasive: the government has arrested her on a charge of 'attempted suicide', force-fed her and then freed her under applicable law, but, up until now, has failed to provide any fundamental alternative to the law in question. In October 2006, Ms. Sharmila left Manipur for New Delhi, the capital of India, at the peril of her own life, to facilitate the accomplishment of the goal of her 6-year-long struggle, i.e. the abolishment of the AFSPA. However, her daring mission was brought to an abrupt halt when she was arrested by the New Delhi police on her second day in the city. Currently, she is in custody at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital(RMH).
In recognition of their efforts to improve human rights in India, the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Selection Committee has selected Lenin Raghuvanshi and Irom Sharmila as co-recipients of the award. Regardless of the difference in the methods respectively employed, they both have fought for the same noble cause of the advancement of human rights and social justice, yet they still have a long way to go. The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights will provide boost in their further struggles. It can make the two awardees and their struggles known to a wider audience while offering them the strength and courage required to complete their journey towards their goals. We believe there lies the principal objective of the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights. In closing, the 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee would like to send an encouraging message to all human rights activists around the world as well as this year's co-awardees.
The 2007 Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Committee
Committee Chairman: Lee, Hong-Gil
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the May 18 Memorial Foundation
Committee Members:
Kim, Chil-Jun
Secretary General of the National Human Rights Commission,
Jeong, Ui-Yong
Korean National Assemblyman,
Moon, Guk-Joo
Executive Director of the Korea Democracy Foundation,
Cha, Sung-Hwan
Director of the Pusan Democratic Movement Memorial Association
The same could be found at http://eng.518.org/main.html?TM18MF=B04&bc_table=ENG_NOTICE&form_act=V&bnum=24&page=1
What is Gwangju Prize for Human Rights?
Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award 2007
The Gwangju Prize for Human Rights Award was established to celebrate the spirit of the May 18 Gwangju Uprising by recognizing both individuals, groups or institutions in Korea and abroad that have contributed in promoting and advancing human rights, democracy and peace in their work. The prize is awarded by the citizens of Gwangju in the spirit of solidarity and gratitude from those whom they have received help in their struggle for democratization and search for truth. It is hoped that through this award the spirit and message of the May 18 will be immortalized in the hearts and mind of humankind.
The previous winner of Gwangju Prize for Human Rights are:
1) 2000 : Xanana Gusmao (President of East Timor)
2) 2001 : Basil Fernando (Executive Director of AHRC, Hong Kong)
3) 2002 : Korean Association of Bereaved Families for Democracy (South Korea)
4) 2003 : Dandeniya Gamage Jayanthi (Monument for The Disappeared, Sri Lanka)
5) 2004 : Aung San Suu Kyi (NLD General Secretary, Burma)
6) 2005 : Wardah Hafidz (UPC General Secretary, Indonesia)
7) 2006 : Angkhana Neelaphaijit (Thailand) and Malalai Joya (Member of Parliament, Afghanistan)
To read more about Gwangju Prize for Human Rights 2007, please cut and paste the link below:
http://eng.518.org/main.html?TM18MF=B04&bc_table=ENG_NOTICE&form_act=V&bnum=22&page=1#none
Web linkage about Lenin and PVCHR
http://www.ndtvblogs.com/views/viewblogs.asp?gl_guid=&blogname=pvchr&q_userid=11488
http://www.infochangeindia.org/changemakers14.jsp
http://www.universalrights.net/heroes/display.php3?id=101
http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/threat_to_life_of_advocate_for_1.html
http://www.rmaf.org.ph/Interactive-Awardee/transcripts/ts-davide.htm
http://www.theindiancatholic.com/newsread.asp?nid=2632
http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2006/we_beat_our_children_to_sleep.html
http://www.fian.org/live/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=234&Itemid=50
http://trishna.foodjustice.net/mainfile.php/011718/104/
http://southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/137977/1/2229
http://www.perditahustonaward.com/nominations/2006_finalists.html
http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org/content/view/784/76/
http://floatingsun.net/udai/files/Varanasi_Weavers_Crisis.pdf
www.pvchr.org
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061206/cth1.htm
http://www.thaingo.org/cgi-bin/content/content3/show.pl?0733
http://www.global-sisterhood-network.org/content/view/638/76/
http://s1.iphide.com/perl/nph-a.pl/000110A/http/www.thesouthasian.org/archives/cat_governance.html
http://www.rghr.net/mainfile.php/0842/1185/
http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Industries-envirn-resettlement/2002/kiln.htm
http://www.freeindiamedia.com/human_rights/16_march_human_rights2.htm
http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-headlines/markup/msg02945.html
http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth/msg/8e725294957979c3
http://india.indymedia.org/en/2003/03/3929.shtml
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/8400021.cms
http://www.craftrevival.org/Varanasi/Discussion/Lenin1.htm
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1727/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1545/
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/690/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1884/
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/840/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1209/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1221/
http://www.ahrchk.net/pr/mainfile.php/2006mr/359/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2205/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2075/?print=yes
http://www.infochangeindia.org/agenda6_03.jsp
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/930408838?ltl=1173954245
http://www.laborrights.org/press/sweatshops/indiaweaving_dpa_120705.htm
http://www.rghr.net/mainfile.php/0840/1179/?print=yes
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1203/?print=yes
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/817/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ahrc-in-news/mainfile.php/2006ahrcinnews/596/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2280/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1270/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1553/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1727/?print=yes
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2255/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2075/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1421/?print=yes
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1564/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2187/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1481/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2004/800/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1459/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1438/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2005/1252/
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2007statements/901/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1717/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2086/
www.webspawner.com/users/ pvchr
www.pucl.org/Topics/Human-rights/2002/hr-defenders.htm
www.pucl.org/Topics/ Industries-envirn-resettlement/2002/kiln.htm
www.ashoka.org/fellows/viewprofile3.cfm?reid=96985
www.southasia.oneworld.net/article/view/72270/1/1809
www.foodjustice.net/ha/mainfile.php/ha2004/32
www.sabrang.com/news/oct5.htm
www.thesouthasian.org/archives/000271.html
www.ased.org/artman/publish/printer_678.shtml
india.indymedia.org/en/2003/03/3929.shtml
www.changemakers.net/pointofview/pov3.cfm
www.dailynews.lk/2004/06/21/letters.html
trishna.foodjustice.net/mainfile.php/0106/32/
www.infochangeindia.org/changemakers.jsp
www.hrw.org/reports/2003/india/India0103-02.htm
www.indianngos.com/issue/child/ overall/people/uttarpradesh/ngosvaranasi.htm
www.un.or.th/ohchr/SR/News/2005/ DailyNewsBulletin/6/10%20June%202005.doc
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1533/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/1561/
http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2006/2128/
http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2005statements/351/
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Sarod Maestro of Beneras Gharana on Tantrik Music
Pt. Vikash Maharaj is a very famous sarod maestro and he is living in Benaras and became synonimous to benras Gharana after the death of Pt. Kishan Maharaj,Tabla Maestro.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
28th May 2007: Program at Mechi bridge
28th May 2007: Program at Mechi bridge
In protest of the general mock election on 28th May 2007 in Bhutan, National Front for Democracy-Bhutan (NFD-Bhutan) organized a mass Long march to Bhutan. The Bhutanese refugees numbering about 4000 while trying to march to Bhutan where 8 parties alliance/senior citizens/Human rights activist of Nepal were stopped by the Indian security forces at Indo-Nepal border on the Mechi Bridge. NFD chairman Mr. Thinley Penjore, Vice Presidents, Balaram Poudyal, D.B.Rana Sampang and Gup Khilla. led the march. The Indian forces resorted to lathi charge to the leading persons and marchers when they tried to force their way. The scene turned worse when refugee forcefully tried to march forward where the Indian forces started lathi charge and tear gas was thrown on the refugee mass. Mr. Thinley Penjore, Balaram Poudyal, D.B.Rana Sampang and Mr. D.P.Kafley (a Bhutanese refugee Human Rights activist) along with many refugees were injured seriously. A team of supporters led including MP and MLA who came from Delhi to express solidarity was stopped at Panitanki by the Indian forces and without meeting, the refugees were returned back. The forces also arrested around 28 refugee women (who were released next day) and man. Those injured were treated in Kanchanjunga hospital in Birtamod/ Dhulabari Health Post and Mechi Zonal Hospital in Bhadrapur. The bullet injuries were taken to BP Koiralla Hospital in Dharan. Rest of the refugees was in Dharna in the middle of the bridge. The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS), Jhapa branch had provided the first aid treatment to the wounded and injured. 80 persons had the First Aid treatment and 249 had the basic First Aid treatment. International Council of Red Cross (ICRC) later purchased the medicine and handed over to Mechi Zonal Hospital for distribution to the injured and referral cases since the UNHCR have denied providing the medical treatment through its Implementing Partner AMDA Nepal. The local people provided food and water. 29th May 2007Indian Security forces first lathi charge and later opened fire at Mechi Bridge. More enforcement of refugees poured in from various camps although there was strike and no movement of vehicles in Jhapa. Again, the refugees tried to push their way. Seeing the uncontrollable mob, state government of west Bengal imposed 144 Section of IPC. The forces resorted to firing and throwing tear gas. In retaliation, refugees also threw stones at the forces. In the firing 9 refugees were bullet injured and one a student Saha Bahadur Sewa died on the way to the hospital. 39 activists were sent to Mechi Zonal Hospital, Bhadrapur.
Reportedly, many Indian security forces were also injured. The situation remained very tense. Inspector General of Police (North Bengal), superintendent of police Darjeeling, DIG of SSB, District Magistrate of west Bengal visited Panitanki, had talk with National Front for Democracy, Bhutan leaders and requested to lead the Peaceful program than throwing stones and harassing the administration and to lift the barricade of International boarder. They also agreed to release arrested 2 females and 14 boys and spokes person of NFD, Mr. Narad Adhikari. 2 Nepali supporters and two Bhutanese boys will not be released as allegedly violated the law. Most of the participants are youths. To day also refugees decided to spend the night on the bridge. This is not the first time that Indian government prevented Bhutanese refugees going back to Bhutan through India, as it is the only route but had thwarted numerous such attempts in the past too.
The people of Nepal and the local Nepali Organizations have provided the food, accommodation and Ambulance services to the agitating refugees. Refugees pay their gratitude to all those who were directly and indirectly involved in making this program (Long March Home) successful.
Dignitaries from India like Member of Parliament: Mr. Brigbhusan Tiwari, MLA Dr. Sunilam and other few members were not allowed to reach the program place by the Indian security forces, so they sat for Dharna in Panitanki where they were stopped. The Indian guests came from Delhi and MadhyaPardesh, organize press conference in Bagdogra.
30th May 2007.
A meeting was held at Panitanki, India, between the Indian team lead by District Magistrate of Darjeeling District, Nepalese team lead by the Chief District Officer of Jhapa, 8 parties District representatives of Jhapa, Nepal and the Bhutanese Refugee agitating leaders of National Front for Democracy (NFD) Bhutan on the Long March to Bhutan by the Bhutanese Refugees.
The Indian team has agreed to create the environment of the talk with Bhutan to resolve the Bhutanese Refugee problem within 15 days.
15 activists including Mr. Narad Adhikari, General Secretary of Druk national Congress, are released un-conditionally by 4 pm.
The Appeal to Honorable Prime Minister of India shall be submitted by the District Magistrate.
The agitation shall be suspended for 15 days with immediate effect, 30th May 2007
May 31, 2007
Outcome of the Tripartite meeting at SSB (Sima Surakthsa Bal) camp at Panitanki, Indian Check-post Indo-Nepal border convened on May 30, 2007:
After the three days' struggle for long march movement of the Bhutanese refugees residing in Nepal to Bhutan, clashes erupted between the participants of the movement and the Indian security forces on the Mechi Bridge at the Indo-Nepal border Checkpoint, which commenced on May 28, 2007. As the situation became tense following curfew at the border a proposal for a tripartite dialogue was proposed by the Indian side to the CDO Jhapa, Shri Jaya Mukunda Khanal along with NID SSP Mr. Min Bahadur KC and Nepal Police SP, Mr. Yogendra Katwal. As a result, the Refugee Concern Committee Jhapa, NFD-Bhutan leaders, eight party delegates of Jhapa District led by the CDO, was held at the Indian side of the SSB camp.
Outcome of the dialogue:
The Indian side felt the Bhutanese peaceful program having gone beyond control, which had compelled SSB to take up action to charge battens and later tear gas extending to firing to disburse the peaceful marchers citing their responsibility on duty. The peace marchers were described as violent by the SSB and as many as 15 people were detained under charges of 144 Indian Penal Code during the operation.
We feel that it is a successful program and hope for India's involvement in this process. The refugees have respected the leaders decision to suspend the agitation for 15 days. The "Long March Home" has crossed the Mechi Bridge and is halted at Darjeeling for 15 days.
Deeply pay our condolences to the family of the deceased activist and pray for the speedy recovery of all the injured and wounded.
PFHRB request all the sympathizers and well-wishers of Bhutanese movement to pressurize the Indian Prime minister and foreign minister of government of India, New Delhi to allow the Bhutanese refugees to go back home as they came to Nepal to seek asylum through India.
Thanks,
D.P.Kafley,
General Secretary, PFHRB.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Seoul Diary: May 2007:By Mohiuddin Ahmad
By Mohiuddin Ahmad
ARENA Fellow; Visiting Professor and Co-Director, MA in Inter-Asia NGO Studies (MAINS), Sungkonghoe University (SKHU), Seoul. Contact: mohi2005@gmail.com
Faculty meeting
An extended faculty meeting of MAINS was held on 3 May where we discussed programs for summer and autumn quarters. A work plan for a “regional school” in the summer quarter on Democracy and Democratization in Asia was also discussed. I also presented a draft of a five-year proposal for MAINS for discussion. These are to be finalized by ARENA.
Each MAINS student is to write a thesis and submit it at the end of the course. It was agreed to share responsibility of supervising thesis writing of the students. Accordingly students were ‘distributed’ among the following faculty members. This may change depending on the availability of more supervisors.
Jin Young Jong (2): Ik-su, Pinpaka
Songwoo Hur (1): Mafuja
Hee-Yeon Cho (2): Jessica, Nay Tun
Francis Dae-hoon Lee (2): Nur, Manda
Park Gyang Tae (2): Nilani, Badrul
Mohiuddin Ahmad (3): Na, Bono, Mamun
We also discussed how involve ARENA Fellows in MAINS in different capacities. One option is to bring relevant Fellows for specific number of days or weeks to conduct courses or parts thereof. Another field of engagement would be to request Fellows to be “external mentor” for guiding thesis writing. However, the faculty-in-charge will have the main responsibility.
We had our regular faculty meeting on 31 May. We mainly discussed issues related to the summer regional school on Democracy & Democratization in Asia that starts from 2 July. We are planning to have an intensive one week course outside Seoul where ten selected Korean activists will join twelve MAINS students. The program has been planned, among others, in eight thematic sessions, each to be facilitated (lecture plus steering discussion) by invited lecturers/ARENA Fellow.
I proposed few points as criteria for selection of students for the coming year, which would be discussed in the extended faculty meeting in June. I suggested the following.
Social movement background: working experience with relevant organizations including NGOs; engagement with social movements at local, national or global level; fresh graduates with pro-people engagement during their campus life (student movement).
Proficiency in English: Acceptable standard of spoken and written English; standard proficiency tests internationally acceptable and/or interview by a designated referee (ARENA Fellows in respective countries).
Integrity: Past record; high ethical standard of personal integrity.
Behavior: Capacity to interact and socialize; flexible to cross-cultural environment; respect for other cultures; leadership quality (acceptability).
Studentship: Candidates are expected to be “fulltime students”. It is likely that many of them are to resume study after a long gap (interrupted by paid job or movement). The willingness to resume studentship and commitment to that is important.
Life experience workshop
This is a regular program, though non-credit, where students and invited guests share their experiences of life and vision. On 3 May, one of the early birds of ARENA and the Dean of the MAINS, Oh Jae Shik was present and enthralled the audience with his interesting and emotional talk.
I know Oh Jae Shik since August 1996 when we met first at Viengtai Hotel, Bangkok, in a meeting along with Sabur, Muto Ichio and Israel Batista. Sabur is an old friend and my former colleague in BRAC. He was the Coordinator of ACFOD since 1986 until he quit it in June 1996. When I entered the hotel, I found them struggling to prepare a brochure for a new organization named Asian Resource Foundation (ARF) which Sabur wanted to launch. I volunteered to prepare a draft brochure and we finalized it in one hour.
Oh Jae Shik opened his heart and shared some his precious moments from his rich treasure of memoirs. He made several references to one of his early days' mentor and emphatically said: we must not ask questions in a wrong way. Most people ask why you are poor. That's wrong. Turn around the question and ask, why you are rich and how.
On 31 May, Dong-Choon Kim, Standing Commissioner of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Korea, spoke as a guest speaker. In fact, he is a professor of sociology at SKHU and has been working as a Commissioner in (TARC) since 2005. He made a presentation on “The Collective Memory of the Massacres during the Korean War and Historical Clarification in South Korea”. He mentioned that the Korean War of 1948-51 was a war in which the percentage of civilian deaths was higher than any other war in the twentieth century. The lowest estimate puts the number of civilian deaths at more than two million. The core question is how to deal with the past. According to him, the victims are so traumatized that they have become passive. He concluded that the process of listening to the victims is also a process of healing their wounds.
Discovering Gyeongju
Prof Lee Jong-Ok teaches in the Catholic University of Daegu. She is Co-Chair of ARENA. She has been planning to invite me for a talk. The moment arrived as per our mutual convenience. She arranged an international workshop. There would be presentations by an Italian and a Korean. I am the third presenter. To make it more 'international', she requested me to bring one my students as a presenter. We decided to include Jessica, my student from Philippines, in the list.
It was earlier agreed that we would be tourist on the first day and become workshop participants on the following day. Jung-Ok suggested us to arrive Gyeongju on 6 May, tour around and attend the workshop at Daegu University on 7th.
Jessica and I took a train from Onsu at 0645 and then changed to a faster train en route to Gyeongju that took over our hours. We were received by Im, a student of Jung-Ok. We had to spend half an hour to find an appropriate restaurant, as Jessica wanted to eat fish. Another student of Jung-ok named young joined us with a jeep. After launch, we checked in a hotel. Jessica had a mixed feeling about the hotel room. It was too good compared to the apartment where the students live and it's only one night she could stay here. So she asked Im to take her photo while lying on the bed.
We first went to see the Bulguksa temple. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first built in 535 A.D. and was enlarged in 752. It's a testimony of the Silla architecture and the depth of the Buddhist faith of that time. Most of the wooden buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries, while the stone bridges and stairways and pagodas are original.
While returning from the main pagoda, we saw many small pieces of stones and bricks at one corner, which people use to put in order in the form of miniature tower, one on top of the other, and make some wish. I also did it and wished good health of my family members.
Our second target was Gyeongju National Museum. We saw specimens of earthen, stone and metal works of the Silla period and before. These are quite similar to those found in many places I visited, such as, Moinamoti (Bangladesh), Mahen-Jo- Daro and Taxila (Pakistan).
Then we proceeded to Tumuli Park to see royal Silla tombs from the pre-unification era. The park contains 23 of the more than 200 royal tombs found in Gyeongju. We had an opportunity to enter one tomb, which is open for visitors. I could imagine how the huge tombs were constructed and precious jewels were arranged in them. These are different from the pyramids in size and shape that I saw in Egypt and Mexico. Gyeongju tombs are much smaller in size, are earthen mounds from outside and half-circle shaped. These have green grass cover and look like small hills.
After a buffet dinner, we went to see the Bamun Lake. The lake is located very close to some deluxe hotels including ours. There were many duck-shaped manually driven boats. We rented one and had a ride for about half an hour. After we returned to the hotel, Im interviewed us with a structured questionnaire that was part of his assignment given by Jung-Ok.
In the following morning, we passed by the Chemoseongade Observatory on way to the university. This observatory is a 7th-century bottle-shaped stone structure and is one of the oldest known existing observatories in Asia.
We reached the campus at around 11, which was a long drive from Gyeongju city. We had lunch in the university cafeteria. Our workshop started a little after 1 PM. Jung-Ok moderated the session. She also summarized our talks in Korean. The title of my presentation was “Debt Trap-Death Trap”. One colleague of Jung-Ok was a designated discussant. It was a lively session and some students asked questions at the end. Then we had a photo session with the students. After a quick dinner, we left Daegu.
ARENA program meeting
Two meetings were held in this month, on 8 and 22 May. In the first meeting on 8 May, Jiyoung presented an overview of the Marriage Migration in Asia (MMA) project and an overview of the workshop that was held in Hanoi in April. Jim and Toshiko presented a draft on the Asia-Latin America program that is now in a proposal-writing stage. Chang Hee-won has already started a program on human rights to peace (HRP). She is sick and could not attend the meeting. Alex expounded preliminary ideas about proposed research and linkage between Asian scholar-activists with Asian Diaspora based in the US, where he intends to address the issue of race. We had a feeling that it should be developed into a full proposal. I gave a briefing on MAINS. It seems that at present three ARENA programs are ongoing, the MMA, the MAINS (in collaboration with SKHU) and the HRP. We hope to prepare proposals and go for two more programs (Asia-Latin America and the one to be developed by Alex). The work seems seriously constrained by lack of adequate fulltime staff and fund.
I could not attend the second meeting on 22 May because of some personal engagements.
Curriculum development workshop
Earlier we planned a curriculum development workshop for MAINS. Prof. Massaki Ohashi of Keisen University, Tokyo, arrived on 13 May. He is a very good friend of mine and took good care me while I was in Japan last year. He is a regular visitor to Bangladesh and dropped in my apartment in Dhaka several times. So I wanted to give him a “red carpet reception” at Gimpo airport. I ‘inspired’ Prof. Lee Seejae to bring his car to the airport. He agreed. It was not necessary. As it was earlier decided that Ohashi would stay with me, it might be difficult for him to find my apartment at night. So I wanted to receive him at the airport.
Earlier Seejae told him that we would have dinner together and then go to Gimpo. I was waiting and waiting, as Seejae was supposed to come or call me at around 6 in the evening. At 7 o' clock I tried to call him and found that there is no sound in my cell phone. I cannot call anybody. Then I decided that I might go to Gimpo alone and I was checking the subway map how to go there. I have a spare battery for the cell phone. I changed the battery and instantly received a call from Francis. He told me that Seejae had been frantically calling me for last one hour. He was very worried. He asked Francis to call a student to come and check my apartment, as they are aware of my ‘heart’ condition. Then the contact was established with Seejae. He came to my apartment at around 8 PM. We talked for about an hour and went to Gimpo. On the way, Seejae lost the direction twice, but we reached in time. We brought Ohashi to my apartment.
I prepared a bed for Ohashi on the floor. Yi Ki-ho, research professor of SKHU, ‘donated’ the bed, good enough for two persons. These are all new and never used before. He said that I could keep these for other guests who may come in future.
On 14 May, Francis Loh joined. We had a brief session at ARENA office reviewing MAINS program, curriculum, proposed courses for summer and autumn quarters and inter-institute collaboration. Ohashi agreed to pursue collaboration between Sungkonghoe and Keisen University and proposed MAINS to be an entry point.
On 15th morning, Dessa knocked my door. She took a night flight from the Philippines. She managed to find my apartment with the help of the driver. Then we proceeded to SKHU. Ohashi gave a lecture on Japanese ODA and NGOs/NPOs to MAINS students in a scheduled class on Globalization and Social Movements. Few students from the NGO faculty also joined. He presented some striking data. For example, total budget of all NPOs in Japan is less than that of one big NGO in Bangladesh.
On 16th night we had a short briefing session with Dessa and Farid in the hotel lobby at Gwangju on MAINS curriculum as they were not present in our discussion on 14 May. On 17th morning we met again and continued discussion. One important issue we discussed and agreed was to have external ‘mentors’ from amongst ARENA Fellows to guide MAINS students in thesis writing. This necessitates interested ARENA fellows to volunteer, one for each student, whose research topic is of interest to the concerned Fellow.
Shakespeare versus Tagore
In the afternoon of 14 May, we (Ohashi, Francis Loh, Francis Lee and I) had a meeting with other concerned faculty members of SKHU at my office. Among them were Prof. Jin Young Jong (Co-Director, MAINS and Director, Center for Human Rights & Peace), Cho Hee-Yeon (Director, Institute for Study of Democracy and Social Movements-ISDS), Yi, Ki-ho (Research Professor, ISDS) and Songwoo Hur (Research Professor, ISDS). Discussion mainly centered round prospect of future collaboration between Sungkonghoe and Keisen. Ohashi mentioned that he would explore possibility of exchange among students and faculty members. Possibility of co-hosting regional school was also discussed. He emphasized that a MoU should be in place between the two schools of these two universities as soon as possible and other formalities can follow.
We then went for a dinner. Vice-President of Sungkonghoe University also joined. Along with food were Se Ju and Magkoli. Jin’s eyes started becoming pink, and while talking, he was flying high. It was perhaps a Se Ju Syndrome. Probably I was also ‘contaminated’. So we had a long duel of dialogue. Francis Lee later termed it as a conversation between Shakespeare and Tagore. It may be mentioned that Jin studied English Literature. Francis Loh stayed in Cho’s house and Farid was accommodated in a SKHU guest room.
Commemorating Gwangju uprising
On 15 May, we had a quick lunch. Ohashi was preparing to catch an afternoon flight from Gimpo to Haneda. He is super busy and hardly can spare an extra day. We boarded on a bus to Gwangju. Earlier it was decided that we would participate in the Gwangju International Peace Forum and East Asian Human Rights Forum 2007 on May 15-18 at Gwangju jointly organized by the Forum Asia and the May 18 Memorial Foundation commemorating the Gwangju uprising of 1980. MAINS students also joined. The intended objective of the program was to provide a venue for Asian democracy movements a network and to connect Korean and foreign activists, scholars and the families of the victims who made sacrifices in the struggle for democracy.
It was a four hours drive from our campus. We directly went to the memorial hall to join the evening reception. There I met Subodh Pyakurel from Nepal whom I know for over ten years. He is a prominent human rights activist in the region and the current chair of Forum Asia. After that we were lodged in a hotel. In the morning, ARENA had a session on democracy and networking. The panel of speakers included Francis Loh, Mohi, Dessa and Farid. Francis Lee was the moderator.
Francis Loh was the first speaker. He is a Professor of Politics in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (Penang). He talked more about ‘constitutionalism’ and tried to connect it to ‘participatory democracy’. His paper was titled “Key Issues in Democratization in Asia”.
Unfortunately my paper that I sent much ahead of the meeting was missing from the “guide book” prepared by the organizers. Earlier I was encouraged by some writings of my former teacher M. Anisur Rahman and I made a presentation on “Networking Paradigm: Some Key Issues” highlighting a grassroots perspective. I mentioned that development being endogenous is not possible with somebody else’s thinking and knowledge, nor is a relation of equality possible if one feels that knowledge essential for one’s development rests with others.
We spend about twenty-five years of our early life in classrooms and studies shut off from active life, to become ‘educated, wise. Life moves on meanwhile, struggling and moving through challenges and odds. Those who survive the odds must be very able and wise, including the ablest, wisest, most resourceful, even if ‘resource’-less, and creative of all human beings. Yet we have the audacity after these twenty-five years of existence isolated from people’s lives, to stand above them with our educational certificates in our hands, and tell them how they should move, not caring even to learn from them how they have come so far and what their own thinking on issues or concerns to them are.
I emphasized that the role of the networking organizations of that of guardianship or trustee for future generations complies with the existing development paradigm. The role of the networks needs to be redefined. We are too much obsessed with terms like democracy or socialism. The task of social science is to work with popular movements, and help them to articulate their own social visions and link with each other to develop broader popular forums for such articulation.
Rosanna Quesada Dessa from Gender Wave against Violence and Exploitation in the Philippines presented in her typical style, spelling ‘democracy’ by moving her shoulders right and left, saying that sometimes body language could indeed be a very powerful tool for communication. She then presented “A Dialogue about Democracy, Regional Cooperation and Questions”. She invited Francis Lee and our student Jessica to participate in a dialogue with her. She concluded with a nicely composed poem.
Hilmar Farid from Indonesian Institute for Social History tried to provide a synthesis of all our talks and then addressed the issue of networking for democratization. Farid is a new ARENA Fellow whom I met for the first time. He looks like a pop singer and is very friendly.
In the afternoon of 17 May, we had a tour around. We walked a long way inside a bamboo garden only to find a not so interesting mechanized tiller at the end of the walk way. This was a talk of the afternoon. We also visited a Buddhist temple, similar to the Bulguksa temple I saw before at Gyeongju.
Then we assembled at the May 18 Democratic Square, formerly called the Town Square. Processions with banners and festoons with drumbeats started pouring in. There were people of all ages, women and men. This is how the spirit of democracy and struggle is transmitted from one generation to another. At the stage was performing a baoul group singing baoul songs (traditional Bangla mystic songs of sufee tradition). They came from Kolkata (India). They had been here for about three months. Their stage performance was coordinated by a Korean lady who spent few years in Shantiniketon, the school set up by Rabindranath Tagore.
In the morning of 18 May, we went to the cemetery of the martyrs of the 18 May uprising at Unjeong-dong, Bukgu, outside Gwangju city. The security was tight. The President of Korea and the Mayor of Gwangju gave a ceremonial speech. After that many of us walked inside the cemetery where name of the victims were inscribed on pieces of stone along with their photographs. I heard that some two hundred bodies were identified and buried, but many more were missing and possibly were dumped in mass graves by the government of the then military dictator Park Chung Hee. While the President was delivering his speech, we heard demonstrators shouting in the street outside the cemetery. They were giving slogans against FTA and neoliberal policy of the government.
In front of the cemetery is standing a tall and nicely-built sculpture-monument. Two stone pillars with the shape of two hands symbolize the yearning for the May 18 spirit. The egg-shaped sculpture between the pillars symbolizes the mass of human group. This is very similar, conceptually though not architecturally, to our shahid minar (martyrs’ memorial) in Dhaka, which was built to remember the martyrs of our language movement of 1952. I saw some old women in white, with tearful eyes, rubbing the stones with inscriptions about their dear ones. It was a very emotional scene that touched my heart.
The peace forum was an opportunity for me to meet many people from different Asian countries. Francis Lee introduced me to Jintae Jo, Chanho Kim and Mayung suk Cha, Secretray General, International Cooperation Team Director and Executive Director of the May 18 Foundation respectively.
In the afternoon of May 18, the Gwangju prize for human rights was formally awarded to Irom Sharmila Chanu and Lenin Raghuvanshi, both from India. Sharmila has been fasting for last six years protesting against violence of the “security forces” against the people of the Indian state of Monipur. She is now in a hospital under custody and is being fed forcibly. His brother was present to receive the award on her behalf. Lenin works with the dalit (untouchables) in India who are the victims of the worst form of apartheid at the moment. I was happy to see that the award went to genuine hands and not to mega stars in the world of human rights. Lenin’s wife Shruti was also present. They are from Varanasi and works with People’s Vigilance Committee on Human Rights. I told her that I intend to visit their place we use to call Kashi and heard so much about it. When we were bidding farewell to each other, she requested me in Bangla, “Dada, amader barite ashben (please visit us)”.
Two nights with Prof. Cho
I was supposed to share a room with Prof Cho Hee-Yeon at Gwangju. He arrived in the morning of 16 May. We had a brief conversation.
Cho: Mohi, I snore.
Mohi: Then it’s a problem for me.
Cho: If I snore, you tell me to stop; I’ll stop.
The conversation ended there. I was worried. We went to the venue.
We went to bed a bit early, before ten o’ clock. After a while, Cho started snoring; at first in low volume with some rhythm, and not so disturbing. I thought I could survive. Soon he went wild; the volume increased and became stormy. As it went beyond my level of tolerance, I shouted: Cho, stop!
Instantly Cho stopped and silence prevailed throughout the night. In the morning, Cho told me, “Look, didn’t I tell you, if you say, stop, I would stop?” The following night was equally peaceful.
Discussion on micro credit
Prof. Seejae Lee introduced me to Dr. Jeong Soon Ryu at a dinner in March. Her nickname is June. She is the President of the Korea Research & Consulting Institute of Poverty, which is a national counseling network for the poor. Since then we had been connected electronically. Then she invited me to come to her office and give a talk on poverty and micro credit in Bangladesh. We decided about the date and time, afternoon of 23 May. I prepared a paper and mailed it to her. She translated it into Korean. The meeting was arranged at Gaepo Catholic Church. According to her suggestion, I arrived at Godok station and she picked me from there.
The meeting started at around 3 PM. There were 13 participants, 11 women and two men (including me). There I met Prof. Kim Young-Ja of Shikoku Gakin University (Japan) and Kim Mi Joo, Director of Women with Disabilities Arts & Culture Network. Also there were two participants from the Social Solidarity Bank.
Often people get a rosy picture about micro credit. I tried to explain that it is one of the many tools of addressing the problem of poverty. One of the hard realities is that it has long ago reached a stage of saturation, hardcore poor have been excluded and the program has been recycling debt. In Bangladesh and possibly in many other countries, almost four-fifths or more of the NGO budget is spent for staff salary and other ‘overheads’. Very little amount trickles down to the poor.
After my presentation, Mi Joo presented a paper on Women, Development and Micro credit – A Step Forward, MDGs. She is ‘disable’ and came with a specially-built engine-driven wheel chair. But I was charmed by her passion, interest and commitment and certainly she is much more able than many of us with two legs and two hands.
Meeting at UNESCO
While I was in the meeting with June, I got a phone call from Samuel Lee, Secretary General of UNESCO, Korea. He informed me that they would have a meeting at his office with some Korean, US and German participants. Today they would discuss issues related to separated families in Korea. He wanted me to join the session and to know the participants. He also informed me that Oh Jae Shik would also come. I told him that “I am in a meeting and I shall try once this meeting is finished”.
After an hour, I got a second call from Samuel. He informed that they would wait for me until 8 o’ clock and then would go for dinner. My meeting with June’s group was still on. When we finished, it was already seven. June dropped me to the nearest station from where I took subway line no. 2 to reach UNESCO. By the time I arrived, it was few minutes past eight and the session was still on. Samuel introduced me to the audience and I spoke for a minute. I said that I also belong to a divided nation. The difference between us and the Germany and Korea is that they were divided by exogenous forces, while we divided ourselves.
I understood that this is an informal group that meets once a month and discuss one issue. Samuel asked me whether I could make a presentation at the next meeting scheduled on 21 June. I said that I might not be in Seoul around that time. However I agreed to make a presentation in July.
Soon the meeting was over and we went for dinner. We had a Japanese dish called Shabu Shabu that includes beef and vegetables.
Evening party
The life experience workshop of Oh Jae Shik on 3 May was followed by an open-air Bar-B-Q party organized by Prof. Jin Young Jong at one corner of the campus. There was plenty of food and drink. One of my students from Thailand, Pinpaka, was perhaps too fast. She was laughing continuously and seemed to move away from the ground to the sky. She was escorted back to her home. As she was our official photographer, we missed many photos of the subsequent sessions. When the party was over, Jin drove us all to Karaoke near Onsu station. All of us enjoyed. At around 12, we left the Karaoke venue. But the night seemed still young to Jin Young. So another drinking session followed on the walkway in front of a restaurant. This session continued for another hour.
I owed a party to my students. I decided to host it at my apartment in the evening of the day of my last classroom lecture of this quarter. Accordingly 22 May was fixed. Thanks to Bono, Mafuja, Mamun and Pinpaka who took all the trouble to prepare food and bring it to my house. Almost all MAINS Students and ARENA staff and volunteers attended. Among special guests were Manda’s mom Urna. SKHU staff Hyeji also attended. Francis could not join as he was not feeling well.
On 25 May, Manda’s mom hosted a party for Manda’s friends including all MAINS students. I met her at Gwangju where she came as a member of a Mongolian delegation of human rights activists. As expected, Manda prepared a dish with horse meat and more interesting was Chinggis Vodka. I requested Urna to sing a Mongolian song and she and Manda together sang a beautiful song.
An afternoon with Martin Hart
On 28 May, two special lecture sessions were organized at SKHU. I missed the morning session addressed by Patrick Bond, Director of University of KwaZulu-Natal Centre for Civil Society, as I had to go to the hospital for a check-up. His topic was “Linking below, across and against: World Social Forum weaknesses, global governance gaps, and civil society’s political, ideological and strategic dilemmas”.
The afternoon session on “The Korean Economy and Neoliberalism” was addressed by Martin Hart-Landsberg. He teaches Economics at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon (US). He has traveled to Korea many times and is an expert on East Asia. The way he talked, explained, cited examples and provided statistics was wonderful.
Economists usually love to cite statistics, mostly in a boring manner. He was not boring at all. I found some connectivity between his lecture and my lecture on global finance as part of our curriculum on Globalization and Social Movements. So it was a very useful session for me and I was certainly enlightened.
After the lecture we spent few minutes at ARENA office and then joined Cho Hee-Yeon and Yi KI-ho for a dinner outside the campus. We had Mook Pub, a delicious dish I tasted first time. It’s a soup with acorn and vegetables.
Health is wealth
I am familiar with this axiom since childhood days. I had a routine check-up last week and my condition is stable. My daughter has developed some cardiac problem. She underwent some tests in Dhaka. But she is not happy with the diagnosis. She wants to have a second opinion and have decided to come to Bangkok in June. I’ll join her.
It seems the entire ACIS is sick. Jiyoung has been sick for several weeks and is having oriental medicine. Francis was really sick in the last week. He has flu that may continue for a month. He is also having oriental diagnosis. Our volunteer program officer Chang Hee-won was also sick for some weeks. She is now better. Dessa returned to the Philippines with cough and cold that she embraced at Guangju.
Festival at SKHU
The campus was in a festive mood on the last three days of the month. There were numerous tents put up by students, mostly selling food. There was also open-air concert at the playground. This is a bit similar to what we have in our country in the name of rag day. But the striking difference is, rag days are limited to the final year students and often go wild. At SKHU, it was more participatory and entertaining. I wish MAINS students would put up a stall too, maybe in next year.
Acknowledgement
Ik-su is one of my two Korean students. He has been very helpful. With his help, I applied for a credit card and had satellite TV and internet connection in my apartment. Hyeji helped in procuring the equipments and contacting the service provider for satellite TV (Sky Life). Ik-su also accompanied me to the nearby hospital and helped me to have a medical checkup. I checked lipid profile and blood sugar. Results are satisfactory and my condition is stable.
Prof. Seejae Lee helped to buy a handy camera for me from Japan through the courtesy of his wife. It was bought through internet and was cheaper than in the market.
Francis Lee has arranged a fan for me. It will help me to keep cool during the summer.
Pinpaka, Jiyoung, Jeong Soon Rye and Prof. Jung-Ok provided photographs. Ik-su also gave some technical support.
Tailpiece
In the beginning, Francis Lee inspired me to write diary as a form of communiqué with ARENA Fellows. I liked the idea. I am at SKHU since early March. I regularly receive encouraging feedback on my diary from Korean Fellows and SKHU faculty members. From outside Korea, I have received positive response from many friends and well-wishers. Among ARENA Fellows from outside Korea, Kin Chi, Johan, Ed Tadem, Melani and Arjun have responded so far. I feel inspired and enthused by their mails. I request all not to consider my diary as an activity report of MAINS or ARENA. It’s what I am doing and how. This is very personal. But I like to share my experiences, observations and feelings with a broader audience including ARENA Fellows.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Message for People's SAARC:Shafquat Munir
Message for People’s SAARC January 13, 2005
By Shafqat Munir
Development Journalist/Researcher
President, Journalists for Democracy and Human Rights (JDHR) Pakistan
Email: shafmunir@yahoo.com
Dear Comrades,
Paradigm shift in world politics as consequence of 9/11 and arm twisting in the name of globalization under the World Trade Organization made the people of the developing and least developing countries in South Asia more vulnerable to multiple crisis and resource constraints.
Under neo-colonialism, the players of globalization are manipulating world resources at the cost of the poor and the marginalized. They are dictating their terms in the name of trade liberalization and withdrawals of agriculture subsidies under the WTO agreements. Inter and intra state conflicts, particularly Pakistan and India tension, have been costing heavily on the people of the world’s one of the largest regions, the South Asia. Having common heritage, historical linkages and traditional commonalities, the South Asian countries and people share common problems. The major problems are poverty, under development, resource constraints, and crisis of governance, religious fundamentalism and growing threat of HIV/AIDS.
To fight against common enemy, the poverty and under development, South Asian countries particularly Pakistan and India need to join hands to benefit from each other’s experiences, development and peaceful co-existence. But unfortunately both India and Pakistan seem reluctant to opt for a peaceful solution of their conflicts, particularly of Kashmir and now the issue of Baglihar dam.
Comrades,
On stereotype enemy approaches of the establishments of both India and Pakistan, let me share with you of my experience to India when I visited Chandigarh in May 2003. I happened to be at the Chandigarh Pres Club where I reciprocated a speech by the President of the Club. Right from the Attary border crossing to Chandigarh, over 100 Pakistani delegates were given a warm welcome and the atmosphere was so peace friendly that some of the jubilant youth demanded that there should not be any border walls between the two counties. In my speech at Chandigar Press Club I had cautioned against the political and vested interests of our establishments. I still believe that border walls are not the issue, if at they remain these walls in tact, at least, there should be free gates for movement of people across the settled borders without restrictions.
In South Asia, visa regime in Nepal and Sri Lanka is flexible and could be an example for rest of the countries in the region. The visa regime in Bangladesh is at somewhat moderate level but the visa system between India and Pakistan is cumbersome. The two important nuclear nations of South Asia due to enemy image of each other are not roping the tide of opportunities that is lying ahead in case they join hands for the development of the two countries. Only by freeing or relaxing visa regimes, both India and Pakistan could get benefits in coin and kind. But establishments of both the countries do not want that because they fear that it would damage their vested interests. Both the governments announced in newspaper that journalists and development researchers would be given multiple visa entries and that too without police reporting process. But I was not allowed this multiple visa facility. I wanted to reach at the People’s SAARC to join you in Varanasi but I was allowed visa only for Delhi and that too after a long delay that made my travel to Varanasi impossible.
Comrades,
I am sure if today both the establishments and intelligence agencies of India and Pakistan decide not to send their agents for sabotage in each other’s countries, there would be no sabotage activity in either of the countries. You would agree that no common Pakistani or Indian national need to damage interest of their fellow human beings rather they would like to strengthen friendly bonds between the two peoples. The establishments of the two countries should realize that South Asia, one of the most diverse regions on the planet, is fast emerging as the poorest, the most illiterate, the most malnourished, and the most deprived region in the world largely because of Pakistan-India tensions and politics of sabotage and now the terrorism and counterterrorism.
We need to realize also that while the region contains nearly one fifth of humanity, just the increase in its population each year exceeds the total population of the fifty smallest UN member states. If we look at the Mahbub Ul Haq Centre’s Human Development Report on South Asia, we find a devastating picture of colossal human deprivation in South Asia. Nearly one half of the world’s illiterate people and forty percent of the world’s poor live in South Asia: around 500 million people live in absolute poverty; more than one half of adults are illiterate and over one fourth of the total population, 350 million, is unable to access the daily necessity of safe drinking water. Eight hundred and thirty million people have no access to basic sanitation.
Over 400 million people go hungry every day. South Asia accounts for 23 percent of the world’s total population, but its share of the global poor is 40 percent. The adult literacy rate in South Asia is only 48 percent, which is now the lowest in the world. South Asia’s share of world’s total illiterate population is twice as high as its share of the world’s total population. According to a UNICEF study, the worst affected region for malnourished children is South Asia, not Sub-Saharan Africa, despite the much higher GNP growth rate and a more robust increase in food production in South Asia. The per capita GNP of South Asia (US$ 309) is lower than that of any other region in the world. While South Asia contains 22 percent of the world’s population, it produces only 1.3 percent of the world’s income. Women are bearing the brunt of the region’s increasing poverty.
At one hand the extent of human deprivation in South Asia is widespread; on the other hand resources are being diverted to maintaining large armies, modern weapons, and military spending. Pakistan and India are the two among the largest armies in the world. The region spends twice as much each year on the purchase of high-tech arms as does Saudi Arabia. South Asia is the only region where military spending as a portion of GNP has gone up since 1987, although it has declined substantially in all other parts of the world after the end of the cold war.
If we compare global military spending with that of South Asia, we find that military spending in rest of the world declined by about 37 percent from 1987 to 1994, from a peak of US$ 1200 billion in 1987 to around US$ 800 billion in 1994. However, military spending in South Asia during the same period went up by 12 percent from US$ 12.5 billion in 1987 to US$ 14 billion in 1994. Since 1987, military holdings, combat aircraft, artillery ships, and tanks have declined by 1.5 percent globally, but have increased by 43 percent in South Asia.
Dear friends,
This kind of militarization is jeopardizing health, education, environment, food security, access to resources, security of movement of the people and livelihood indicators. We need to unite to reverse this tide of misuse of resources so as to re-diverting them to improve social development indicators.
Let me request you to please demand from this platform, the People’s SAARC;
That the poor South Asian establishments should change their behaviour and thinking. They should focus on security not in military terms but of the security of the people in terms of respect for their fundamental human rights, free movements and more and more livelihood options.
That the leadership in South Asia should not rely on their establishments, military and civil, rather on the people to address the worst form of power imbalances at all levels in our societies.
That we need to lobby for a common South Asia Citizenship.
That there should not be visa restriction for the people of South Asia to move across region. Either visa should be abolished for South Asian citizens or there should be flexibility in grant of visas
That there should be a resource pool that should address issues relating to abject poverty with a view to get it alleviated
That South Asian countries should establish a powerful trading group in the world to take common stands at the World Trade Organization while taking part in negotiations on certain international trade issues
That South Asian countries should rise above petty conflicts and steer their agricultural economies out of the clutches of the multilateral corporations’ monopolistic designs, thus ensuring food security and food sovereignty.
That South Asian countries should have a free media regime, allowing free exchange of each other’s publications and media productions into their countries.
Thanks you very much, Hope to see you soon in any similar gathering.
Shafqat Munir
