Sunday, March 23, 2008

[mukto-mona] Bhutan turns democratic

SAN-Feature Service

SOUTH ASIAN NEWS-FEATURE SERVICE

March 24,2008

Bhutan

turns democratic

Nava Thakuria

Bhutan

has stepped into the final pace for converting an absolute monarchy to multiparty democracy.

SAN-Feature Service : The polling begins on Monday (March 24) in the tiny Himalayan Kingdom, ruled by the Wangchuck dynasty for a century, as the country is all set for its National Assembly. Enriched with the experience of conducting smoothly the first round of election for its upper house of Parliament in December and January (not speak of two rounds of mock polls last year), the Shangri-la has stepped into the final pace for converting an absolute monarchy to multiparty democracy. After the latest polls for the lower house of Parliament, the new government supposes to take over the reign of the nation with nearly seven hundred thousand populations.

And, amazingly, the credit for its transition goes for none other than the former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 52, who insisted democracy for Bhutan, where his successors would be placed for ceremonial heads only. Even the King could be impeached by the parliament with a two-thirds vote. It may be surprising, where many South Asian countries including Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh are bleeding for democracy, the Bhutan monarch has shown a different picture to the international communities.

The isolated Buddhist kingdom, sandwiched between two giant neighbors (India and Tibet/China) is known for its unique standard of community living, where the rulers weigh more on Gross National Happiness (GNH) in spite of internationally recognised Gross National Product (GNP) index. Smoking is banned throughout the country, where education and health care facilities are provided free for every Bhutanese. An isolated kingdom had witnessed the entry of television in 1999 only. Internet facilities follow next year.

The process of transition from monarchy to democracy in Bhutan started in 2001. The then King Jigme Wangchuck empowered a council of ministers to serve the people of the kingdom in better ways. In 2004, the king also disclosed about a 34-point Constitution for the country. The Constitution is expected to get approved after a referendum, following which it would replace the present regime, which enjoys absolute monarch power. It may be mentioned that former King Jigme Wangchuck is the fourth representative of Wangchuck dynasty, which came to power in 1907 and continued till date.

Pouring more surprise to the Bhutanese, King Jigme Wangchuck paved way for his eldest son, Crown Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck in 2006. He made his declaration in front of a crowd of nearly 8,000 monks, farmers and students at a remote village that 'Chhoetse Penlop (crown prince) will be enthroned as the Fifth Druk Gyalpo (Dragon King)'.

The new King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck has already proved his intelligence, caring behaviour and also commitment to the country as his father maintained. Born in 1980, King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck otherwise groomed by his father to rule Bhutan under a constitutional monarch. Moreover, King Jigme Khesar Wangchuck achieved a brilliant career during his higher studies in USA, UK and India.

"We are ready for the polls and hope to conduct the exercise in a free, fair and peaceful manner," said Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, the Chief Election Commissioner of Bhutan. Some 318,465 registered voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to elect 47 members for the lower house of parliament, quoting the CEC of Bhutan, Kuensel, a government run newspaper reported. The Bhutanese citizens, who are 18 years and above and holding valid citizenship cards, will vote, it added. However the candidates for the polls must be graduates. Bhutan has, on record, more than 11,000 graduates.

March 24 has been declared as a national holiday with all government and private establishments closed for the day. The voting started 8am (Bhutan is 30 minutes ahead of India) and would end at 4pm. Like the National Council polls, electronic voting machines (EVMs), supported by India, will be used again. The counting is supposed to start immediately and the results should come next day. The results will be telecast and broadcast live through Bhutan Broadcasting Service and Bhutan Radio.

Members of the royal family and clerics directly associated with the religious institutions will not be allowed to participate in the voting. It is learnt that observers from many countries including India, Japan, Canada, Denmark, Australia, Netherlands, the United States, the European Union and the officials of the UNDP (based in Thimphu) will assess the polls process.

After disqualification of Bhutan People United Party, there remained only two political parties in the fray. The People's Democratic Party (PDP), headed by the former agriculture minister, Sangay Ngedup has chosen a White Horse as its election symbol. Moreover, the Druk Phuensum Tshogpa (DPT) or Bhutan United Party, led by the former home minister, Jigmi Y. Thinley has accepted a pictorial design of three flying birds (Thrung Thrung Karm) as its symbol. Both the parties are known to be close to the Royal family.

Earlier, the election commission disqualified a third party named Bhutan People United Party (BPUP). The BPUP lacks both maturity and the appropriate mix and strength in terms of its membership since more than 80 per cent of the members are school dropouts, or have no credible academic qualifications, the commission declared.

The Bhutan Election Commission had already conducted the polls for 25-member upper house of Parliament (called National Council), where each Dzongkhags (a district) elected 20 members and five eminent personalities from various fields like literature, music, social service and other areas were nominated by the King. Nearly 50 per cent voters turned up for the upper house election. However, the CEC Dasho Kunzang Wangdi expects that over 70 percent voter will turnout this time.

Kuensel, while supporting the comments of the CEC, narrated in one of the editorials, "We have every reason to believe that most registered voters will vote. We hope to see an impressive turnout in the election, not just because it is a historic election, but because we are a part of the democratization process. In countries, that see very small voter turnouts, it is because they are disillusioned with their politicians. We have every reason to trust our politicians at this stage."

But the security for the lower house polls will emerge as an important aspect, as like as during the upper house polls. The Bhutan government sealed the border with India during the polls with an aim to prevent unwanted elements from outside during the NC election on December 31. The Royal Bhutan police and the Royal Bhutan army were engaged for the security during the polls.

Meanwhile, the peaceful country witnessed few explosions since January. The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) believes that it was the work of any one of the outfits the Bhutan Tiger Force, the Bhutan Maoists Party or the Communist Party of Bhutan, who are based outside the country.

The RBP apprehends similar disruptive activities by the rebels to discourage Bhutanese people from participating in the poll process. It suspects that a number of terrorist organizations based in Nepal might try to create trouble during the general election. Quoting the Bhutan police sources, Kuensel even went on describing that those outfits had surfaced in the UNHCR-run refugee camps in Nepal. The Royal Bhutan Army had recently launched a crackdown on some locations inside Bhutan and arrested more than 12 rebels with weapons and explosives.

Bhutan has meanwhile earned brickbats from international communities for its prolonged refugee issue. It is worth mentioning that the refugees, who are Nepali-speaking Hindu Bhutanese, were driven out from Bhutan during the Nineties. Since then, they are living in camps of eastern Nepal. Nearly 1,00,000 Bhutanese refugees, who were later recognised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, were allegedly driven away by the Bhutan authority from south Bhutan.

The crisis began in 1991 as the authority started harassing the ethnic Nepali people living in South Bhutan. It was aftermath of a new citizenship act (passed in the Eighties) that arbitrarily cancelled the citizenship of the Nepali speaking Bhutanese. A series of protests reciprocated the verdict, which was dealt with a massive crackdown. Finally thousands of Nepali origin families fled Bhutan in 1990. Significantly they accommodated nearly one-sixth population of the country. A few families came to India (no pass is required for a Bhutanese to enter India), where most of them arrived in Nepal. The refugees are still living in the crowded camps spread out in two districts of Jhapa and Morang of Nepal.

Nepal government raised the issue with the Bhutan authority and already participated in not less than 15 rounds of talks, though it failed to convince Thimphu to allow the refugees to go home. It is understood that not a single refugee has returned to Bhutan till date. The UNHCR Antonio Guterres had recently visited some refugees in Nepal. Significantly it was the first visit by a UNHCR to take stock of the situation in the refugee camps ever since those were established 16 years back.

Antonio Guterres himself admitted that 'it was difficult to see any immediate solution' to the Bhutanese refugee issue. The UNHCR Representative in Nepal, Abraham Abraham, said, "UNHCR prefers to help refugees go back to their home countries when they can do so in safety and dignity, however, in this case, the only option currently available is that for resettlement in a third country for those refugees who wish to make this choice," the Nepal media reported, which is largely anti-Bhutan government.

Meanwhile, giving some relief to the Bhutan government, the first batch of Bhutanese refugees left for the United States during this month. "A group of 20 refugees left Nepal as part of the third-country resettlement programme,' quoting the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) sources in Kathmandu, Nepal media reported. In fact, the United States last year agreed to resettle more than 60,000 Bhutanese refugees. Similarly Canada, Australia, Denmark, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway had also come forward expressing their wish to take a share of refugees for resettlement. —SAN-Feature Service

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[ALOCHONA] Joint Venture Courtship between Israel & India

Israel & India: New Allies

source: http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2008/0321_india_riedel.aspx

March 21, 2008 —

On January 21, 2008 an Indian space launch vehicle lifted off from the Sriharikota spaceport on the Indian Ocean to put into space Israel's most sophisticated spy satellite ever launched, the Polaris. The commercial launch of Polaris by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) underscored the growing military and intelligence connections between Israel and India. The United States helped inspire this relationship and has a strong interest in its success. Though unique in the military cooperation realm, this is but one of several evolving relationships between Israel and great or emerging powers that deserves attention.

Israel and India only established formal diplomatic relations in 1991 with the Madrid Arab-Israeli peace process creating a favorable diplomatic context for New Delhi to move beyond informal contacts that existed before 1990. Then President Bush's National Security Council staff worked closely behind the scenes with Prime Minister Rao's embassy in Washington to make this happen. Military-to-military contacts and defense interaction followed.

In the 1990s, China was Israel's most important arms export market. The signature weapons system in the relationship was the Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACs). This system used U.S. technology in its development and was thus subject to U.S. export oversight. As the 1990s developed and tensions rose in the Taiwan Strait, Washington pressed the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv to cut back on its ties to Beijing. The Phalcon became a bone of contention. Of course, this had serious economic costs for Israel.

In 2000, Prime Minister Ehud Barak pressed President Clinton for relief. Clinton came back with an idea — if the United States did not like Israeli-Chinese arms deals, it had no objection to Israeli-Indian arms sales since they did not raise the potential issues Taiwan raised. More explicitly, selling the Phalcon to India would not meet objections in Washington. Clinton made clear the United States would not raise concerns about the arms balance with Pakistan since it has no commitment to the defense of Pakistan and the conventional balance of forces was already tipped in India's favor in 2000. The two leaders talked the issues through on the margins of the Israeli-Palestinian summit at Camp David in mid-2000. They reached agreement and Israel got a green light from Washington to court India.

Now, almost eight years later, India is Israel's largest arms export market in the world. Sales in 2006 were $1.5 billion, roughly the same as in each of the preceding three years as well. This from Israel's total arms sales of $4.2 billion in 2006; the India market comprised more than one-third. Sales included upgrades for MIG 21 aircraft and T72 tanks originally purchased from Russia, the Barak anti-missile ship defense system, communications equipment, laser-guided munitions and the Phalcon. The first of five Phalcon AWACs were delivered in 2007. Co-partnerships are now developing between Indian and Israeli firms.

Israeli arms experts are also seeking to sell the Arrow II anti-tactical ballistic missile system to India, which would require U.S. approval due to shared technology in the ATBM system. This would give India a significant missile defense system. The Green Pine radar system has already been sold to India which is a critical component of the overall ATBM system.

The Polaris satellite is Israel's first equipped with synthetic aperture radar that allows it to take high resolution imagery in all weather conditions. The radar looks through clouds or fog to see objects on the ground. Launched from south India into a polar orbit it offers new coverage of sites in Iran for Israeli defense planners. According to Indian press sources, two more such satellites will be launched by ISRO for Israel in the next few years. The Iranian nuclear program will probably be the principal collection target for these systems. Israel retains full operational control of the Polaris system including what targets are imaged. It is unknown if any intelligence derived from the imagery is shared with third parties.

Critics of the Indian-U.S. civilian nuclear deal negotiated by President Bush and Prime Minister Singh have complained about India's ties to Iran. India does have important equities with Iran, not the least because India has the second largest population of Shia Muslims in the world after Iran. But there is no comparison between the sophisticated military relationship between India and Israel and the weak connections between India and Iran on security issues.

According to ISRO officials I talked to in Bangalore in February the launch of the Polaris produced a serious protest from Iran to India. But they were clear ISRO would stick with its Israeli commercial connection. They also said India will launch its own first radar-imaging satellite later this year. The Indian Army Chief of Staff, General Depak Kapoor, has said publicly that India's imagery satellite capability is now critical to the nation's early warning capability with regards to both Pakistan and China.

The Israeli-Indian connection in commercial military and space intelligence fields is good for both countries and for the United States. In less than two decades since diplomatic ties were upgraded, New Delhi and Jerusalem have come a long way. Camp David was a pivotal moment on the way. The cooperation between Israel and India, with U.S. blessing, provides important security to two democratic countries in a very unstable part of the world.

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Re: [mukto-mona] Poem: "Time feeds on time" (Dedicated to poet Billy Collins)

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/47329

Dear Audrey,
how are you?

thank you for your kind comment.

when it comes to poetry, i think it's enough to have just one reader;
more than that is doubtful, but tells the poet to sink into solitude and start again.

thank you
Salman S.

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Sign the Petition : Release the Arrested University Teachers Immediately : An Appeal to the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh

http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/university_teachers_arrest.htm

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Daily Star publishes an interview with Mukto-Mona
http://www.mukto-mona.com/news/daily_star/daily_star_MM.pdf

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MM site is blocked in Islamic countries such as UAE. Members of those theocratic states, kindly use any proxy (such as http://proxy.org/) to access mukto-mona.

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Mukto-Mona Celebrates 5th Anniversary

http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/5_yrs_anniv/index.htm

*****************************************
Mukto-Mona Celebrates Earth Day:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Earth_day2006/index.htm

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Kansat Uprising : A Special Page from Mukto-Mona

http://www.mukto-mona.com/human_rights/kansat2006/members/

*****************************************
MM Project : Grand assembly of local freedom fighters at Raumari

http://www.mukto-mona.com/project/Roumari/freedom_fighters_union300306.htm

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German Bangla Radio Interviews Mukto-Mona Members:
http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/german_radio/

Mukto-Mona Celebrates Darwin Day:

http://www.mukto-mona.com/Special_Event_/Darwin_day/index.htm

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[mukto-mona] Reflections on Bangladesh after Independence

Dear Editor,

Hope you are doing well and thanks for publishing my previous write-ups

This is an article about "Reflections on Bangladesh after Independence". I will be highly honoured if you publish this article. I apprecite your time to read this article.

Thanks

Have a nice time

With Best Regards

Ripan Kumar Biswas
New York, U.S.A

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflections on Bangladesh after Independence

Ripan Kumar Biswas

Ripan.Biswas@yahoo.com

Today's Bangladesh rich history and culture and its landscape, which is dotted with a vast network of peaceful villages, came through a selfless sacrifice and unrelenting determination of freedom-fighters that had great courage and conviction.

Full liberation is the dream of everyone in the world. To achieve liberation in all respects man dreams, imagines, thinks, plans, works and dies in the world. But this is not quite the Bangladesh where lives were sacrificed; blood was shed for in 1971. Freedom-fighters had fought gallantly with the enemies to free the motherland and to establish democracy, secularism, and Bengali nationalism.

To became the world's 139^th independent nation, Bangladesh was suffered a genocide by Pakistani army, which killed approx. 3 million people, raped 40000 women, burned hundreds of villages, and brutally murdered intellectuals. On March 25, 1971, the Pakistani Army launched "Operation Searchlight" to eliminate the Awami League and its supporters in East Pakistan. The goal was to crush the will of the Bengalis. "Kill three million of them and the rest will eat out of our hands," said the then Pakistan President Yahya Khan.

Independence Day is a critically important title. It signifies the fundamental meaning of the nation. Independence Day has always had two meanings for everyone. One is a very patriotic meaning of being grateful that someone got people here and they are glad others took care of securing that for them. Independence Day reminds every Bangladeshi of the struggles of the leaders, thinkers and the freedom-fighters of every community and religion who devoted their lives to this noble objective. Needless to say, Independence Day on March 26 in Bangladesh, is first and foremost a day for gratitude.

There is no denying that things in Bangladesh today are not the way they ought to be, let alone what they promised to be. After the bloody war of independence which secured an independent state from West Pakistan, the nation's first top two executives — Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman were assassinated. Between 1974 and 1990, the country was governed largely under states of emergency or martial law. True things have been changed. But after 37 years, is Bangladesh out of autocracy or enjoying the fruits of independence!

After 37 years, people of Bangladesh are facing a mortal challenge while they are remembering the supreme sacrifices and gallantry of the country's bravest and enlightened people. The nine-month-long genocide ended with the killing of teachers, writers, journalists, professionals, and social thinkers which was the last part of the Yahya-Tikka-Niazi blueprint. But till now, is Bangladesh free from any blueprint? Secularism, democracy, scarcity of essential livelihoods, freedom of rights even tolerance, and communal harmony are being thrown overboard today.

Political independence is not a primary. It rests on a more fundamental type of independence: the independence of the human mind. It is the ability of a human being to think for himself and guide his own life that makes political independence possible and necessary. The political parties in Bangladesh put the country across an insurmountable political divide. A democratic political system is inclusive, participatory, representative, accountable, transparent, and responsive to citizens' aspirations and expectations. Politics, like much else in Bangladesh, has always been characterized by violence.

Although democratization is not a linear process that moves from an authoritarian to a democratic regime, Bangladesh has gained it after the sacrifice of the life of Dr. Shamsul Alam Khan (was joint secretary of Bangladesh Medical Association, died November 27, 1990), Noor Hossain (a worker of Awami Jubo League, died 1987), and with many other injured participators in an anti-autocracy movement on December 6, 1990. But after 37 years, Bangladesh is without its freedom of movement, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom of thought and conscience, freedom of speech, freedom of profession and occupation, or Rights to property, which were the issues of liberation war and its spirit and aspirations of independence.

Functioning of government is another important factor for democracy. If democratically based decisions cannot or are not implemented then the concept of democracy is not very meaningful or it becomes an empty shell. Member of the opposition's parties, parliamentary committees, or even from the ministries can hardly play a vital role for any major decision in Bangladesh. It is raves that the losing parties and their supporters accept the judgment of the voters, and allow for the peaceful transfer of power.

Bangladeshis' latest suffering in food crisis, may give strength to a general feeling that democracy should be restored. Food-price inflation, at around 11%, is already the biggest grievance of most Bangladeshis. It could climb as a result of the destruction.

War crimes evoke a litany of horrific images to everyone's mind. The worst war crimes in the annals of history in 1971 were not simply possible by the state-sponsored Pakistani army against Bangladesh. People suffered such attempted extermination with the help of local allies. So much is certain, that no civilized society, any more than a society at peace, can allow unpunished criminal activities like war crimes.

It's not obviously unethical or illegal to demand while the sector commanders of eleven areas of Bangladesh along with millions of Bangladeshis in their recent convention at Bangladesh China Friendship Convention Centre on Friday, March 21, 2008, vowed to put the war criminals on trial by any means so justice can prevail in the society. Or if they will not attend the 37^th Independence Day reception hosted by the president, Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 as part of the heartiest gratitude towards freedom-fighters and the decision not to attend any state functions in which anti-liberation forces, including leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami, will be present. Because the non political government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahemd can bring the war criminals under prosecutions rather following the same footsteps of its predecessors.

Of course the main agenda of the caretaker government is to hold a free and fair election, but this is high time to initiate legal actions against the war criminals and the trial is more important than the ongoing crackdown on corruption. If these criminals go unpunished, there would be recurrence of such crimes in the country and no political government will be able to bring them back under trail as because they will be obviously associated with such groups or persons.

While millions of Bangladeshis are paying their heartiest gratitude to those freedom- fighters and expecting that each and everyone, who fought in the complex and challenging situation and sacrificed their lives, should be highly respected and taken care of when they need, very often it is regular to see the sufferings, humiliation and deprivation of freedom-fighters. Some of them are rickshaw-pullers, slum dwellers or even beggars. Most of the countries in the world respect their freedom-fighters and senior citizens for their great contribution towards the country. Government has special priorities for those great heroes.

Although the government is considering a proposal to increase the monthly allowance of the freedom-fighters from Tk 600 to Tk 1000, which is not of course enough, the rich individuals or qualified public organizations can respect the freedom-fighters by helping them financially.

While marking Independence Day, Bangladesh is in lack of positive hints to mark. Thirty seven years are perhaps a short time in the life of a nation to resolve its identity issues, but it cannot be denied that Bangladesh is at a crossroads and must act before it is too late.

March 24, 2008, New York

Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York

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[ALOCHONA] Chittagong Port for India?

Chittagong Port for India?

http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/2008/03/23/fullnews.asp?News_ID=73403&sec=4

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[mukto-mona] UP Congress &Sonia-sycophancy

If Soniaji had entered the scene earlier...` (http://business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=317708&subLeft=2&leftnm=4)

Q&A: Rita Bahuguna

Aditi Phadnis / New Delhi March 23, 2008

Congress chief in Uttar Pradesh, Rita Bahuguna, talks to Aditi Phadnis about her plans for the party.

It is now almost exactly six months to the day that you were appointed Congress party chief of Uttar Pradesh. What do you think you've achieved ?

When I took over, the party was in a state of demoralisation. Actually that has been the case since last May when we lost the state elections. Possibly because the previous president was disappointed, there was little or no move from the party to pep up the workers, to tell them, OK, we've lost the election but we still have the party. District wise programmes should have been undertaken and leaders should have gone all round the state to explain to people why we lost. The party was sunk in a slumber of dejection. What was needed was urgent revitalisation of morale. I realised this could only be done through programmes. Within days of taking over, we started a kisan andolan. There was drought in one third of UP. Cane growers were facing a serious problem because mills were not working. Cane prices had not been fixed. Surprisingly, this movement was a big success. The state government had to send out a circular to mills asking them to pay farmers arrears. This support from farmers was a turning point for workers from our party. Then we homed in on some sweeping comments made by Mayawati on Mahatma Gandhi. She said Gandhi divided the country whereas Ambedkar united it. Taking the lead from her remarks, at a function in Shikohabad, Gandhiji's picture was removed from the dais by one of Mayawati's ministers – ironically at a function for a Gandhi Bhavan. He was called 'pakhandi' (imposter) and beiman (dishonest). We could not have taken this lying down. From October to December last year, we worked on reviving Gandhiji's legacy. At five hours notice, we called a rally of 5000 people in Shikohabad.

There are all these issues out there, but isn't your biggest problem the party itself – and how little of it exists?

We have just constituted the UPCC coordination committee comprising 30 leaders from UP. Rahulji is a member. We've held two meetings already. The thing about the Congress is, it has always been under the wing of the Nehru Gandhi family. Whether it is a state level issue or a district level issue, it is the family that has guided us.

That's why, look at the recent history: it was the period from around 1991 till 1997-98 that the Congress party's fortunes took their worst beating. True, one after the other you had problems in the state: Mandal, Mandir, region, caste. But this was also the time the Congress faced its worst time. If Soniaji had entered the scene a little earlier, this decline may have been arrested. Can you believe it, as Prime Minister, PV Narasimha Rao came to UP just once ?

But this prime Minister too has also been to UP just once…

True. But that doesn't matter, because we have Soniaji and Rahulji voicing our movements. Rahulji's direct involvement has changed things. Let me give you an example. We surveyed 75 villages in Bundelkhand for the National Rural Employment Guarantees Programme and we found that while the programme showed full utilisation, there were beneficiaries. Then we understood why: the administration said it had put all the money in afforestation programmes. Crores of trees had been planted, but when we asked why we could see none, they said it was because of the drought – that the trees had been planted but they'd all died !

Then there were other problems. Cards should have been given to all Below Poverty Line (BPL) families. But distribution of cards was on the basis of which party you were a sympathiser of. People who were entitled to Above Poverty Line (APL) cards had been issued BPL cards. Bundelkhand has a population of around 80 lakh. 38 lakh people had migrated. Then Rahulji decided to visit. That was the wake up call for the state government. We called people from five villages and had a huge rally. It was after this that Mayawati visited Bundelkhand.

Right now, even as we speak, finishing touches are being given to a huge package, running into thousands of crores of rupees for Bundelkhand.

Bundelkhand is not UP…

In the rest of the state, we are launching a hisaab mango andolan (give us the accounts) movement. It will be pick up momentum soon after holi. We've already spent a lot of time explaining to people the bonanza they're going to get when the budget is actually implemented. We want to link the ordinary people with the budget and tell the common man: having tested all parties, now, try us.

The people will get a chance to try you – in the two assembly and two Lok Sabha by elections that are due in April…

Well, April is a bit tough. If we'd had time till June, the loan waiver programme would have started and government's policies would have begun to have effect. But I know that we will improve our vote bank. I am not looking at this election as a referendum. A by election always goes in favour of the government in power – the state machinery, everything is in its control. But it will be quite an interesting election. The party will perform better, that is a certainty.

There is talk that you're scouting for a partner to fight elections with….

We have to think about this long and hard. We have never hidden the fact that we would like all secular forces to come together. We would not want a government headed by the BJP. If parties profess to be secular, the onus is on them to come together with us.

So all the harsh things that Amar Singh of the Samajwadi Party has said about Mrs Gandhi – all that will be forgotten in the interests of secularism?

To my knowledge Mulayam Singh Yadav has said harsher things two days ago. Amar Singh sounds a bit mellower now. But this is not a matter of tracking statements. The decision will be taken at the highest level. Mayawati meets Mrs Gandhi and gives an impression that the Congress has done a deal with her. The fact is, she is the Chief Minister of UP and Mrs Gandhi is the UPA Chairman. Meeting the CM is a courtesy and the Gandhi family is well known for its courtesy. They know how to conduct themselves. This is the difference between the style of the Congress and the BSP. But as of now, there is no truck with anyone. We're going to contest independently. I know our cadres. Once they start working, our prospects can only get better, not worse.

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[mukto-mona] Dalai Lama spk

A speech with a polemical tinge.

'The world should try for a change inside China' by Dalai Lama 23 Mar 08 (http://business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?tab=r&autono=317707&subLeft=2&leftnm=4)

A major concern of the People's Republic of China is its lack of legitimacy in Tibet. The principal way to lend weight to their position is for the Chinese government to pursue a policy that satisfies the Tibetan people and gains their confidence. If we are able to achieve reconciliation by treading a path of mutual consent, then, as I have already stated many times, I will make every effort to win the support of the Tibetan people.

In Tibet today, due to the Chinese government?s numerous actions, driven as they are by a lack of foresight, the natural environment has been severely damaged. And, as a result of their policy of population transfer the non-Tibetan population has increased many times, reducing native Tibetans to an insignificant minority in their own country. Moreover, the language, customs and traditions of Tibet, which reflect the true nature and identity of the Tibetan people are gradually fading away. As a consequence, Tibetans are increasingly being assimilated into the larger Chinese population. In Tibet, repression continues to increase with numerous, unimaginable and gross violations of human rights, denial of religious freedom and the politicisation of religious issues.
All these take place as a result of the Chinese government's lack of respect for the Tibetan people. These are major obstacles the Chinese government deliberately puts in the way of its policy of unifying nationalities which discriminate between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples. Therefore, I urge the Chinese government to bring an immediate halt to such policies. Although the areas inhabited by Tibetan people are referred to by such different names as autonomous region, autonomous prefectures and autonomous counties, they are autonomous in name only; they actually have no real autonomy. Instead, they are governed by people who are oblivious of the regional situation, and driven by what Mao Zedong called Han chauvinism.
As a result, this so-called autonomy has not brought the concerned nationalities any tangible benefit. Disingenuous policies that are not in tune with reality are causing enormous harm not only to the respective nationalities, but also to the unity and stability of the Chinese nation. It is important for the Chinese government, as advised by Deng Xiaoping, to seek truth from facts in the real sense of the term. The Chinese government severely criticises me when I raise questions about the welfare of the Tibetan people before the international community. Until we reach a mutually beneficial solution, I have a historical and moral responsibility to continue to speak out freely on their behalf.

However, it is common knowledge that I have been in semi-retirement since the political leadership of the Tibetan Diaspora has been directly elected by the general Tibetan populace. China is emerging as a powerful country due to her great economic progress. This is to be welcomed, but it has also provided China an opportunity to play an important role on the global stage. The world is eagerly waiting to see how the present Chinese leadership will put into effect its avowed concepts of "harmonious society" and "peaceful rise". For the realisation of these concepts, economic progress alone will not suffice.
This year, the Chinese people are proudly and eagerly awaiting the opening of the Olympic Games. I have, from the very beginning, supported the idea that China should be granted the opportunity to host the Olympic Games. I have come to know that many parliaments, individuals and non-governmental organisations around the globe are undertaking a number of activities in view of the opportunity that exists for China to make a positive change. I admire their sincerity. The world should, therefore, explore ways of investing their collective energies in producing a continuous positive change inside China even after the Olympics have come to an end. I would like to take this opportunity to express my pride in and appreciation for the sincerity, courage and determination of the Tibetan people inside Tibet.
(Exceprts from the statement of the Dalai Lama on the 49th Tibetan National Uprising Day, March 10, 2008)

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[mukto-mona] RAB’s cocoon of terror

RAB's cocoon of terror

Special Correspondent

Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], the most notorious Para military forces in Bangladesh, which is known for its atrocities through extra judicial killing, abduction, rape and collecting ransom, has finally shown its nasty fang with Weekly Blitz editor, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.

Internationally known award winning journalist Mr. Choudhury was virtually kidnapped by a heavily armed gang of RAB led by Captain Shafiq on Tuesday evening.

When RAB stormed the Weekly Blitz office, they locked the editor including other employees of the newspaper and its sister concerns inside a room, seizing all cell phones and not allowing any communication, friends or legal counsel.

Almost after an hour and a half, members of the armed men took Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury and another senior member of the newspaper, Mahboob Ar Rahman with them while they looted cash and other valuables from the newspaper office. On arriving at the ground floor of the building, where Weekly Blitz office is located, RAB men blindfolded Mr. Choudhury. Before leaving Weekly Blitz office with the editor and other journalist, RAB's officer reportedly known to be Major Swapan, who is the Deputy Director of RAB-3 passed extremely offensive remarks on journalists and newspapers. Captain Shafiq also abused and humiliated Weekly Blitz editor and other members of the newspaper.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury and Mahboob Ar Rahman were taken to RAB-3 office and were detained there for hours. RAB men verbally abused Choudhury during these hours, repeatedly calling him a "Zionist spy and agent of the Jews". They used expletives to refer to journalists against whom RAB has a record of harassing, and the United States Congress, which passed a resolution in Shoaib's support. The verbal assault, which included numerous threats, continued for another three hours until someone RAB described as a "high government official" telephoned and ordered them to release him."

It is also learnt from the Weekly Blitz editor that RAB men demanded heavy ransom from him while Captain Shafiq told him [the editor] that he [Shafiq] is a notorious man, who has killed 29 people in the name of 'encounter', a regular practice of RAB for killing people. Shafiq and 'Swapan' asked Mr. Choudhury to work as 'source' for RAB. When Weekly Blitz editor said, it is not his job to work as any source or spy for any organization, RAB men threatened that, they would do the same thing with him in future.

The matter was immediately notified with the Director General of Rapid Action Battalion and other senior officials of the government. But, there is no action yet taken against the RAB team till filling this report.

Meanwhile, Weekly Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury has sent letters to the Chief Advisor, Army Chief and other officials in

Bangladesh

seeking immediate investigation and necessary actions against the culprits of RAB-3 for such notoriety.

On condition of anonymity, a highly placed source within Rapid Action Battalion told Weekly Blitz that, many officials of the RAB-3 unit are greatly involved in series of criminal activities, including collecting ransom. They maintain close links with some criminal gangs as well in either making money or trapping innocent people and finally end up in extracting money. It is further learnt that, inside RAB-3 compound, most of the interrogation rooms [which are openly seen] are equipped with torturing apparatuses and many of the RAB-3 men are accused of rapid females during interrogation.

Weekly Blitz shall publish series of articles and investigative reports on cocoon of terror of Rapid Action Battalion [RAB]. Our readers are requested also to send us all specific allegations of human rights abuse or extra judicial killing by this notorious organization in

Bangladesh

Posted on 21 Mar 2008 by Root

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1206082211&archive=&start_from=&ucat=2&

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[mukto-mona] 'Chirokalin Mollatontro bonam narir shomanadhikar.' {Bangla}

Dear Respected Editor
As-sala-mualaikum ! How are you ? I am a fan of Mukto-mona and I almost regularly use to read the articles of this site . I have tried to find out the phone number of you people to so that I could talk directly about your policy for publishing articles . I would also like to know how I can be a member of Mukto-mona .

I'm sending an article named 'Chirokalin Mollatontro bonam narir somanadhikar, khomotaion, potitabritti, bhikkhabritti'.

If you feel this article to be publishable, I would request to do so because of the importance of situation at this very recent time . If you have any question or problem about the article, please feel free to e-mail me . I would like to have this published part by part in a continuous way in several days since the article is a bit long .

http://www.mukto-mona.com/Articles/Rabiul_islam/Mollatontro_narir_adhikar1.pdf

Sincerely,

Rabiul Islam, New York, USA.

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Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page.

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Sunday, March 23, 2008

[mukto-mona] Bhutan turns democratic

[ALOCHONA] Joint Venture Courtship between Israel & India

Israel & India: New Allies

Re: [mukto-mona] Poem: "Time feeds on time" (Dedicated to poet Billy Collins)

[mukto-mona] Reflections on Bangladesh after Independence

[ALOCHONA] Chittagong Port for India?

[mukto-mona] UP Congress &Sonia-sycophancy

[mukto-mona] Dalai Lama spk

[mukto-mona] RAB’s cocoon of terror

[mukto-mona] 'Chirokalin Mollatontro bonam narir shomanadhikar.' {Bangla}

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