Daily Online Alochona: May 5, 2008

Monday, May 5, 2008

[mukto-mona] INSIDE SHARIA COURT - 2 & 3

With the hope that some good people will open their eyes to the suffering of our women and break the
taboo of supporting the institution of Sharia Laws.

Hasan Mahmud

*******************************************************************************

INSIDE SHARIA COURT - 2.

(EXCERPT)

A Muslim woman's Sharia ordeal
By Marina JIMÉNEZ
The Globe and Mail – Toronto Canada September 8, 2005

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050908.wxsharia08/BNStory/National/

For months, a Muslim woman living in Toronto tried to wring a divorce out of her local imam.
Under Sharia law, her husband had to consent to the divorce-- even though he had abandoned
the family four years earlier and married another woman. The imam told her that her spouse wanted
$100,000 and all her gold jewellery. She managed to bargain him down to $5,000, money she had to
borrow. She also agreed to give up all child-support payments and alimony, and not to take legal
action against him in the future. Without his consent, she could not remarry within her religion.
"I agreed because I was desperate," said the woman, 29. "If our religious leader didn't grant the divorce,
then under Sharia I would have lost custody of my son when he turned eight. Also, I could not remarry."

"A lot of women in the community are in my situation. My friend agreed to give up her boy to her ex-husband
when he turns eight just so she could get a religious divorce."

****************************************************************************

INSIDE SHARIA COURT – 3
(EXCERPT)
Fatwa # 13383 from South Africa
http://askimam.org/fatwa/fatwa.php?askid=190388fbd39af28b27ee7b6962f5975d
Moulana Imraan Vawda
FATWA DEPT.
CHECKED AND APPROVED CORRECT: Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Question
If a father-in-law accidentally touches his daughter-in-law with emotions thinking it is his wife,
what is the hukum in this case??
Answer
In such a case, the Nikah of the daughter-in-law permanently terminates. Should a man
commit adultery or even touch a blood relative with lust and desire then automatically the
Usool - ascendants (parents, etc.) and Furooh - descendants (children, etc.) of both parties become Haraam (forbidden in marriage)
upon each other. (Shaami Vol. 2 pp. 32-36).

Example 1: If a man touches his daughter-in-law with lust and desire then his son and daughter-in-law (son's wife)
become Haraam upon one another. They can no longer stay together with one another as husband and wife.
Example 2: If the father touches his daughter with lust and desire then he and his wife (his daughter's mother) become
Haraam upon one another.

THE MUSLIM PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE DARUL IFTA IS FREQUENTLY
FACED WITH THE ABOVE SITUATIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES LEAD TO MARRIAGE
BREAK-DOWN AND UNTOLD HEARTACHE.

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[mukto-mona] Sajek violence: Civic body report calling for urgent relief for victims

PRESS STATEMENT
SAJEK'S BURNT VILLAGES: CITIZEN'S TEAM CALLS FOR INQUIRY
AND URGENT RELIEF

A group of citizens conducted an on-site inquiry on 28th
and 29th April 2008 in Sajek Union, Rangamati District,
following press reports of about 150 houses being burnt
down across seven villages in the area. On arrival in the
area, we saw that in eight villages within the reserved
forest area in Sajek Union -- Nursery Para, Daney
Bhaibachora, Bamey Bhaibachora, Purbopara, Balughatpara,
Retkaba, MSF Para and Gongaram Mukh â€" the mostly Pahari
houses which had been burnt down to the ground remained
just as they were. The charred remains of burnt houses
could be seen across a four kilometer long area. Many
people are still in hiding. Others told us that several
persons were injured during this incident. People do not
have proper shelter, and some remain under open skies.

During the on-site inquiry, we spoke to victims and
witnesses among both Paharis and Bangalis, other local
persons, and to Army personnel, to clarify what had
happened. Today we will attempt to outline for you the
situation we witnessed, the main causes behind it, and the
required action which we believe is necessary at this
point. Those of us who visited the area at our own cost did
so because we believed that the full facts of what had
occurred in Baghaichori, a remote hilly area, had not been
fully covered in the national media.

*****

To date, no official record appears to have been made of
exactly how many houses were burnt down, or how many people
affected. According to news reports, about 150 to 200
families have been affected, of whom most are Chakmas.
Speaking to victims and eyewitnesses of the incident, we
came to learn that on 20th April from about 9pm till early
morning houses in the area, mostly belonging to Paharis,
and some to Bangali Settlers, with most of their contents
including cooking utensils, books, clothes, were burnt to
ashes.

Several Chakma inhabitants of the area described how they
stood aside in fear, as their houses were burnt to the
ground.

* A Chakma inhabitant of Balurghat Para village, aged
45/50, stated 'Our rice, clothes, pots-pans-plates have all
been burnt. School books, birth registration certificates,
SSC certificates, they're all totally burnt.'

* Several eyewitnesses and victims mentioned that valuables
were looted by those who burnt down the houses. A Chakma
inhabitant of Daney Bhaibachora village, aged 35/40, ran
out of his home on hearing screaming at about 9.45pm on
20th April, to see a house was burning and people shouting
to be saved from the flames. His whole house had been burnt
to ashes. Only the charred remains of the wooden pillars
could be seen. He stated, 'The people who were setting
things alight, they first took out from our homes, the TVs,
beds, wardrobes, whatever they found, they looted, and at
the end they torched the houses. Those who set the houses
alight. They took everything. 'Another Chakma woman stated,
'I've heard that a TV was found in the Bangali Para. The
Army has said that they will return the TV'.

* An elderly Chakma, aged about 80 'I've never faced such
misery (oshanti) before.' In this home, there are two
school going students in this family, one studying for the
SSC and another in class seven, whose books have all been
burnt and who cannot attend classes.

Bangalis are also alleged to have put up huts after having
broken down the place of worship in Gongaram Mukh. Local
residents said that even after making a complaint to the
local Army Camp, there has been no action. After the fire,
about 30/35 families came to take shelter at the Baghaihat
Moitripur Jogi Bono Bihara [Buddhist Temple].

* The priest of the Bihara said 'I am ashamed to say this.
I am also a religious leader. This kind of incident has
happened in my area.'

Some of the Bangalis affected also described the events of
20 April. These Bangalis are known as 'settlers' to the
local Paharis.

* Md Rafiqul Islam came to Baghaichori about 10/11 years
ago. He lives in the Musulman Para. About two months ago,
he put up a hut near the Pahari houses in Gongaram Mukh. On
the night of the incident, he said he had heard the sounds
'Ujao, Ujao', and fled from his home in fear. He said:
'Hearing the cries of Ujao Ujao coming closer, I fled and
took shelter in the army camp.' Another eyewitness, the
General Secretary of Baghaichori Bazaar Shomiti stated that
'On the night of the incident, at about 9.45 I was in
Major Hafiz's vehicle [as we came out of the Camp, where
there was an event going on for the founding anniversary of
the 2 B Regiment, on hearing a hullabaloo from outside]. We
heard the sounds 'Ujao, Ujao' and saw about 100/150 masked
people wearing black clothes setting houses alight. They
were not local Paharis. They were outsiders.'

Victims' Accounts of the Background to the Arson Attacks:

The vast Sajek Union is located at one end of Rangamati
District, and mainly comprises of Reserved Forests. Any
settlement in this area is considered to be illegal. But
many Paharis have lived in this area for generations in
accordance with their customary norms and without any
official title deeds.

Both Paharis and Bangalis noted as a cause of the incident
that there had been rising tension in the area for about
two months. The main reason for this tension was that the
Bangalis had been erecting houses near or adjacent to the
Pahari's houses. The same sight could be seen all along the
four kilometers of the main road between Baghaihat and
Gongaram. Next to the Pahari house or across it is a house
of a Bangali settler, in which no-one appears to stay or to
sleep at night. After talking to the Settler there, we
learned that these huts have been put up over the last two
months or so. From the beginning the Paharis could not
accept that Bangalis would establish settlements on their
traditional lands. There had already been conflict and
confrontation over this issue. First the Paharis had
objected to the Bangalis erecting these buildings. Although
the hut construction did not end in the face of these
protests, the tensions certainly increased.

From a visit to the area, it became evident that the fire
could not have spread from house to house given the sparse
density of their location, rather each house must have been
separately set alight. For example, we saw in Bhaibachora
village that between two burnt down Pahari houses a Bangali
settler, Abul Malek and his mother in law Anwara Begum were
in residence. Even though the two Chakma houses burnt down
on 20th the hut in the middle did not.

Except for in Gongram Mukh, we could see that the Pahari
homes had been burnt to the ground, but next door or close
by Bangali homes or huts remained standing. This pattern
indicated that whoever had been responsible for the
burnings had most likely planned the exercise, identified
the Pahari and Bangali houses and then set them alight.
Almost everyone mentioned two names, Ali and Babul, as
being the ones most involved with trying to displace the
Paharis from the area through fear. A Chakma inhabitant of
Gongaram Mukh said that Ali and some others had come to his
shop on 19th April and threatened him that if he remained
there till after dusk, then they would burn him and the
shop down and kill his whole family. In fear, he sent his
wife and children to another house that very evening. On
the next night, 20th April, his house was burnt down. With
tears in his eyes, this man said, pointing to his torn
short sleeved shirt and lungi, ' I've been wearing these
same clothes ever since the burnings'.

A Karbari from one village said 'If they see 2/3 of us
talking to each other, they inform the Army Camp.Another
Pahari inhabitant of Gongaram Mukh, unwilling to state his
name, said 'We were told to put up our houses about 2/3 km
away from the road. The Settlers' houses would be next to
the road. Ali and his cronies said that they would
slaughter us like sacrificial cows if we said anything
about it.'

It is true that the fires began because of the ongoing
tensions between Paharis and Bangalis, but in our view the
reasons were deeper, that is the construction of Bangali
settlements here and pushing the Paharis into an even more
marginal and vulnerable existence. But it is also true that
most of the Bangalis who live in that area are extremely
poor, dependent on government rations. These marginal
people, from different districts of the country, are
surviving there on government patronization.

Relief and Rehabilitation:

Relief has now been distributed in the area on three
occasions, most recently on the occasion of the visit by
the Army Chief on 29 April, when each affected person was
given Taka 500 and some food (5 kg rice, 1 kg dal and 2 kg
potatoes). On two earlier occasions, Taka 500 had been
given from the army and civilian administration
respectively. During the Army Chief's visit it was
announced that each family would be given Taka 10,000 for
reconstruction of their homes. Several of those we
interviewed said that this amount would not be adequate.
Some Paharis alleged that Bangali Settlers had been given
more relief. We also saw a number of Chakmas come back
empty handed from the event.

Who is Responsible?

When traveling from Khagrachari to Baghaihat in Baghaichori
located at the end of Rangamati upto Gongaram Mukh, any
ordinary citizen would wonder 'Is this my country'? Because
of the intensity of army checking. There is very tight
screening there. The names of whoever enters or exits the
area is written down. Each such person has to give their
identity. The car numbers are noted. And on leaving the
area, that number is again checked. We thought it was
important to ask how such an arson attack could take place
in the midst of such close monitoring.

We asked some of the Pahari victims, who do you think is
responsible? They said without any hesitation that they
saw Bangali settlers burning down the houses, and the Army
were with them. On the other hand, the Bangali victims said
that local Paharis were not involved with the incident, but
rather outsiders.

Army's Statement:

We met with personnel at the Baghaihat Army Camp. When
asked about whether the Army Camp had any involvement with
the incidents, Commanding Officer Lt Col Imtiaz stated
'There is no question of any connection. We heard the
sounds 'Ujao! Ujao!'and shouting and quickly went there. I
sent forces. I also went there myself. I would definitely
say that outsider Paharis carried out this terror, those
who don't want to see Paharis and Bangalis living together
in peace and harmony'. He further informed us that it
appeared to him that prima facie the JSS or UPDF were
responsible for this incident. In response to a query about
whether any action had been taken re the activities of Ali
and Babul, Lt Col Imtiaz further stated that 'The Karbari
of Gongaram Mukh, Bilash Chakma had raised a complaint
about threatening Mongol Kumar Chakma, and after that we
held Ali for four days but then let him go. No-one else has
brought any complaints to us.' He also said that he would
take action if he found that our claim that Ali was using
the CO's name to terrorize or exploit the local inhabitants
is made out.

Our Recommendations:

We want to place a few recommendations on the basis of our
on-site inquiry, interviews with related persons and an
analysis of the situation is as follows:

1. Establish an independent and impartial Judicial Inquiry
Commission, required to publish its report within a fixed
time period; prosecute and provide exemplary punishment to
those found responsible for the attacks;

2. Provide adequate compensation and undertake prompt
rehabilitation of persons affected during the arson attacks
in Sajek Union, including reconstruction of houses;

3. To release the three persons held in the Baghaichori
Army Camp;

4. To cease all Bangali settlements in Sajek Union and the
three Hill Districts;

5. In accordance with the CHT Accord 1997

a) To activate the Land Commission, to review and settle
all land disputes;

b) To withdraw army camps from the CHT; and

c) To enable full functioning of the civil administration,
including through effective functioning of the CHT Regional
Council.

*****

The group of citizens which conducted an on-site inquiry at
Sajek Union in Baghaichori Upazila in Rangamati District
comprised of:

Syed Abul Maqsud, Writer, Journalist
Ziauddin Tareque Ali, Member, Shonmilito Shamajik Andolon
Pankaj Bhattacharya, Member, Shomilito Shamajik Andolon
Shameema Binte Rahman, Journalist
Supriyo Chakma, Prothom Alo, Rangamati
Jewel Dewan, Advocate, BLAST, Rangamati
Rubayet Ferdaus, Associate Professor, Dhaka University
Sara Hossain, Advocate, Supreme Court
Abu Ahmed Faizul Kabir, Investigator, Ain o Salish Kendra
KCing Marma, Student, Chittagong University
Rajiv Mir, Assistant Professor, Chittagong University
Anirban Saha, Investigator, Ain o Salish Kendra

* * *
Peace Campaign Group (PCG)
RZ-I-91/211, West Sagarpur, New Delhi-110046, India
Tel: + 91-11-2 539 8383
Telefax: + 91-11-2 539 4277
E-mail: pcgoffice@yahoo.co.in, pcgonline@gmail.com

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

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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

*****************************************
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

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

*****************************************
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

*****************************************
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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Some FAQ's about Mukto-Mona:

http://www.mukto-mona.com/new_site/mukto-mona/faq_mm.htm

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VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/

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[ALOCHONA] Bangladesh Needs Controlled Democracy

A very compelling article...

http://alapbangladesh.com/blog/2008/05/02/bangladesh-needs-controlled-
democracy/

========================
It is said, "It is easy to earn democracy but hard to maintain it",
also it is said " A hard earned democracy is often smuthered away by
crooked politicians and unruly mobs". We see both the example
happening in Bangladesh. Bangladesh earned its freedom in 1971 after
long 9 months of fighting against the ruthless pakistani forces and
then saw the freedom taken away by sheer neglect and corrupt
practices of Awami League goons and their leaders. Again after long
fighting against the military junta of Ershad, the country attained
the right type of freedom in 1991 but alas! again the country was
misrepresented by some unruly Al and BNP leaders who did nothing to
help the country but their pockets. Hence we are in this
situation..but only this time the country is on a track that is far
better than any time since its independence. The country is destined
for an election in Dec 2008 and all hopes are set on this new
election.

However we have to be certain that this time, true and rightful
candidates get their nomination and get elected. Year after year, we
are electing wrong candidates in the parliament who does not care
about the rule of law, full of conspirators, authoritarian and
betrayer to their fellow citizens not to mention their constitutional
obligations. From the press, high court to parliament and
universities, everywhere they spread their venom of hatred, abuse of
power, misrule and destroyed the basic principals of civilization.
The country was treated like a family business and acted upon.

Considering all these heinous acts and other aspects of politics, it
is high time that the country takes a slow approach to democracy and
elect candidates who can represent the country as a whole and not
some party. The country should form a sort of a coalition government
with all rightful, honest party candidates and rule for the next five
years. If all the party sits together and make up their mind, I am
sure they can make a compromise. We can not be ruled by those leaders
anymore. Otherwise we will end up with this scenario again after
again.

If you look at the biggest democratic countries in the world like
America, you will see the country has a democracy that is mostly
controlled by rules and regulations. From the get go to campaign
finance to processions, the whole country is ruled by laws and
regulations. People and the politicians follow the same kind laws and
they are accountable to the people. We also want the same.

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

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[ALOCHONA] Constituency Demarcation - Parties misread EC's jurisdiction

A very good article..and explains why we need to get rid of these
false, barking dog politicians anyway we can....
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=35094

========================
Some political parties including Awami League (AL) and BNP seem to
have overlooked the Election Commission's (EC) constitutional
jurisdiction and legal obligation to re-demarcate parliamentary
constituencies, as they have been criticising the commission for its
recent move to comply with the law.

According to the constitution, re-demarcating the parliamentary
constituencies is one of the mandatory tasks of the EC, while
according to the Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976, the
commission must do the job following publication of each census
report.

But, since the publication of gazette notification re-demarcating 133
out of the 300 parliamentary constituencies on Tuesday, political
parties have been rejecting outright the draft list of re-demarcated
constituencies, demanding withdrawal of the gazette.

On Friday following an AL presidium meeting, the party's Acting
General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said his party disapproves of
the EC's move to re-demarcate the parliamentary constituencies,
claiming the commission does not have the jurisdiction to do that.

"According to the constitution, the Election Commission is entrusted
with the job of holding parliamentary elections only. It can't get
involved in policy matters like re-demarcation of constituencies. We
totally reject the EC's move," Ashraful told journalists at a news
briefing after the meeting.

Similarly, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the de facto leader of pro-
Khaleda faction of BNP also detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia
appointed secretary general of the party, yesterday termed EC's move
illegal.

"Only the parliament can decide whether the numbers of parliamentary
seats will be increased or decreased [in a district]," Delwar
claimed.

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid on
Sunday in a statement demanded withdrawal of the EC's gazette
notification publishing a draft list of re-demarcated constituencies.

Mojahid claimed, the EC took the decision ignoring public opinion,
while urging the commission to hold the general election with the
existing demarcation of the 300 parliamentary constituencies in place.

Some other political parties have also been blasting the EC for its
move to redraw the parliamentary boundaries before the much
anticipated ninth parliamentary election, which has been stalling for
over a year now.

The EC however is determined to do the job according to the
constitution and the relevant law, and it has already invited appeals
from anybody who has grievances against the commission's decision.

Till yesterday, nobody has however filed any appeal against the EC's
decision, although some people contacted some senior officials of the
EC Secretariat to know about the procedure for filing appeals.

"We will go ahead with our plan for redrawing the parliamentary
boundaries," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain
told reporters yesterday.

"I don't have any reaction," the election commissioner said when his
attention was drawn to the political parties' demand for scraping the
plan for redrawing the parliamentary boundaries.

The EC, which is duty bound to re-demarcate the parliamentary
constituencies following publication of each census reports according
to the current law, is not however worried about any negative
consequence of the re-demarcation, since the constituency demarcation
law provides it with the legal protection required.

"The validity of the delimitation or formation of any constituency,
or of any proceedings taken or anything done by or under the
authority of the commission, under this ordinance shall not be called
in question in or before any court or other authority," says the
Delimitation of Constituencies Ordinance 1976, while the constitution
says, "The validity of any law relating to the delimitation of
constituencies, or the allotment of seats to such constituencies,
made or purporting to be made under article 124, shall not be called
in question in any court."

THE CONSTITUTION SAYS
On the EC's functions, the constitution says, "The superintendence,
direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for
elections to the office of president and to parliament, and the
conduct of such elections, shall vest in the Election Commission
which shall, in accordance with this Constitution and any other law
(a) hold elections to the office of president (b) hold elections of
members of parliament (c) delimit the constituencies for the purpose
of elections to parliament, and (d) prepare electoral rolls for the
purpose of elections to the office of president and to parliament."

"The Election Commission shall perform such functions, in addition to
those specified in the foregoing clauses, as may be prescribed by
this constitution or by any other law," the constitution continues.

THE LAW
About re-demarcation of constituencies, the Delimitation of
Constituencies Ordinance 1976 says, "The territorial constituencies
shall be delimited afresh upon the completion of each census, for the
purpose of general election to parliament to be held following such
census and unless otherwise directed by the commission, for reasons
to be recorded in writing, before each general election to
parliament."

It goes on to say, "The constituencies shall be so delimited, having
regard to administrative convenience, that each constituency is a
compact area, and in doing so due regard shall be had, as far as
practicable, to the distribution of population as given in the latest
census report."

THE RATIONALE
The latest census was done in 2001, but the immediate past BNP-led
government did not publish the report during its five-year tenure.
So, the erstwhile EC also did not have to initiate any step to re-
demarcate the parliamentary constituencies.

The current military backed caretaker government published the census
report of 2001 in the middle of last year, making it obligatory for
the current EC to re-demarcate the constituencies before the upcoming
election.

In the electoral roadmap announced by the EC on July 15 last year,
the commission stipulated re-demarcation of the constituencies to
bring balance among the numbers of voters in those.

The political parties at that time also did not oppose the EC's plan,
but they changed their position when the commission began the re-
demarcation work this year.

The last time the EC carried out a major re-demarcation of the
constituencies was in 1984. Then in 1995, it brought some minor
changes to the electoral boundaries.

After 24 long years, a new EC moved to re-demarcate the
constituencies on a large scale again, ignoring objections of major
political parties.

Due to the long gap, population sizes in constituencies became quite
lopsided.

According to the voter list prepared in 2001, back then 17
constituencies had voters numbering below two lakh each, six had over
six lakh each, seven had between five and six lakh each, while 19
constituencies had somewhere between four and five lakh voters each.

The rest of the constituencies were more or less of medium-size in
terms of the numbers of voters.

Interestingly, the ceiling on election expenditure for all
constituencies however was the same, regardless of numbers of voters
in them.

Once the latest re-demarcation is finalised, there will be no major
inconsistency among the numbers of voters in the constituencies.

According to the announced electoral roadmap, the finalised list of
re-demarcated constituencies will be published through a gazette
notification by the end of June, and the election will be held before
the year end.

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[ALOCHONA] Int'l Training on Knowledge Management by JT Frank Academy of Malaysia

Date: 6 May 2008

International Training on Knowledge Management on May 23-24 by JT
Frank Academy of Malaysia & organized by IITM, Bangladesh

Dear Sir/Madam,

We look forward to inviting you and your very senior team members to
attend an international training on Knowledge Management by JT Frank
Academy of Malaysia in Dhaka on May 23 and 24, 2008 in Dhaka. IITM
and JT Frank have agreed to partner in delivering trainings in the
knowledge management practice areas. JT Frank is the leader in this
field and, therefore, we look forward to having a world class
session in this emerging field.

Seats are limited to only top leadership team members of an
organization. It can be used as great learning and networking
opportunity.

The 2-day session cost is Tk. 12,500/person. Concessions of Tk.
500/person is applicable if two persons having academic
qualifications of at least a Bachelor's degree and 8 years of work
experience join from the same organization. Candidates with Masters
in Management or Technical field are encouraged to attend.
Professional experience of at least 5 years will apply in such a
candidate. CEOs without at least a Bachelor's degree need not apply.
Work/entrepreneurship experience will be the same as mentioned
earlier.

We are attaching a PowerPoint presentation on the training for your
perusal.

Thank you and look forward to being of service to you.

Note: IITM reserves the right to change the pricing; however, if
someone had confirmed with financial commitment then payment will be
based on the date of confirmation with necessary payment.

Saifur Rahman
Program Coordinator
International Institute of Technology & Management (IITM)
56/2 West Panthopoth, Dhaka-1205, Bangladesh
Tel: 01196023503

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[mukto-mona] Conversions as a political tool ISP May 2008 I

Conversion: a political weapon

Ram Puniyani

One has been hearing a lot about the conversion activities of Christian missionaries. That there is a threat to Hindu nation due to Adivasis converting to a 'foreign religion' is becoming part of social common sense. The real face of the conversion came to fore when after the attack on nuns in Alibaug (March 2008) was followed by a massive conversion to Hinduism, Shuddhi ritual (April 27, 2008) in nearby Mumbai. The person involved in both these has been the same. In the attack on the Adivasis, the followers of Sadguru Narendra Maharaj of Ramanandcharya Peeth were involved and in the elaborate Shuddhi ritual the Guru himself led the conversion. Talking on the occasion he said the Hindus are being reduced to a pitiable minority because of the activities of Christian missionaries. He also came down heavily on the central Government for not pushing through the anti conversion bill and criticized the Maharashtra Government for passing the anti Superstition bill, according to him both these steps are anti Hindu.

His claim that Hindus are being reduced to minority is a stuff of make believe world as demographically India's Hindu population is fairly stable. The anti conversion bills which many state Governments have passed/are passing are totally against several articles of our constitution. Our constitution encourages the promotion of rational thought, in pursuance of which Maharashtra Government has done the laudable job of passing anti superstition bill. Those opposing this bill surely want the persistence of blind faith in society, it is this which strengthens their social and political clout and Guru is forthright as far as that is concerned. The same Guru's followers are adept to violence off and on. In Alibaug the people had assembled to hear a lecture on AIDS awareness when his followers assaulted the nuns.

How does one understand the rising incidence of violence in Adivasi areas? One recalls just around the Christmas time in 2007, massive violence was unleashed in Kandhmal and Phulbani districts of Orissa. In most of the Adivasi areas Dangs, Gujarat, Jhabua Madhya Pradesh, areas of Orissa, there has been a recurrent violence. It is these areas which have seen the conversion of Adivasis into Hindu fold. One must clarify that Adivasis are Animists, neither Christians nor Hindus. While some conversions to Christianity have been occurring they are not new as Christianity has been here from centuries. These conversions are due to many reasons, missionaries work in the area of education and health in particular. In recent times the overall population of Christians has been declining marginally (1991-2.60%, 1981-2.44%, 1991-2.34, 2001-2.30%) Part of the conversion surly is due to some groups amongst Christian missionaries who do believe in aggressive proselytization.

The Adivasi areas have invited the wrath of RSS combine from last two decades in particular since Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, an RSS affiliate intensified its activities in Adivasi areas. In these areas there is a vicious anti Christian propaganda leading to violence. Since this takes place in remote places the culprits can get away easily, more so with the complicity of communalized state apparatus. In these areas various Godmen with RSS affiliation, direct or indirect, have been either been setting up their Ashrams or extending their influence, Aseemanand; Dangs and Lakhhanand in Orissa, Asaram bapu in Jhabua refion MP, and Narendra Maharaj in Maharashtra.

Usually violence and intimidation is accompanied by cultural cooption. This latter has been done by holding huge Hindu Sangams and Shabri kumbhs. Dilip Singh Judeo, has been doing conversions in Adivasi areas of Madhya Pradesh. Sanskritzation is also operative in these conversions to Hinduism. The process has been called Ghar Vapsi or Shuddhikaran (purification) on the premise that Adivasis are Hindus. This is unmindful of the fact that Advasis are primarily animists and do not fall in the category of religion as a social phenomenon, as applicable to Hindus, Muslims, Christians etc.

Adivasis are the most deprived lot of the society and have been targeted more for political reasons than for their own welfare. As during the early 1920s, Shuddhi movement (Hindu Communalism) was unleashed in parallel to Tanzim (Muslim communalism), now again the Shuddhi is back. Ghar Vapasi word has been cleverly coined. While browbeating Christian missionaries for conversions, the same term for its own activities will bring in disrepute. So this term, Ghar vapasi; returning home! The propaganda behind this says that Adivasis are essentially those Hindus who ran away to forests to escape the conversions by Muslims kings. In forests they kept living for long because of which they kept sliding down on the scale of social hierarchy. This concoction serves two purposes. One it feeds into the misconception that Islam spread by sword and also makes the Adivasi's claim as the original inhabitants, null and void so the Hindus nation's claim on the country becomes stronger, as they can also claim to be its original inhabitants.

The realization that to impose Hindu rashtra in this country the electoral majority is needed as a starting point, the process of co-opting Adivasis into Hindu fold has been stepped up. And this 8% population can be the wonderful addition to electoral base for the right wing politics. The second advantage is that by indoctrinating them they can be unleashed against the other enemies of Hindu nation, like Muslims, as witnessed in Gujarat, where they were used as ideal foot soldiers for the agenda of Hindu Rashtra.

While one has no problems with the peaceful missionary work of Ramakrishna mission or Christian missionaries one is aghast at this new phenomenon in our society whose primary focus is political, though couched in the language of religion. More human welfare activities in these areas, more emphasis on human rights concerns of this marginalized section of society are what are needed. By emphasizing on blind faith, by spreading hate against other section of society, this phenomenon started by the ilk of Gurus is very dangerous to national Integration.

Issues in Secular politics, May 2008 I

For Circulation , web sites etc.

Feedback to

ram.puniyani@gmail.com

web www.pluralindia.com

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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 ***************************************** Daily Star publishes an interview with Mukto-Mona http://www.mukto-mona.com/news/daily_star/daily_star_MM.pdf ***************************************** 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. ***************************************** 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 ***************************************** 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 ***************************************** 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 ***************************************** Some FAQ's about Mukto-Mona: http://www.mukto-mona.com/new_site/mukto-mona/faq_mm.htm **************************************************** VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/ **************************************************** "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190

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[mukto-mona] Food security concerns in East Asia

SAN-Feature Service

SOUTH ASIAN NEWS-FEATURE SERVICE

May 6,2008

Food security concerns in East Asia

P. S. Suryanarayana

SAN-Feature Service: The gathering crisis across the world of rising prices of food, of rice and other staple items in particular, has not as yet messed up the political and social landscape in any country in Greater East Asia. However, the region, home to some leading rice exporters and also big consumers, is not immune to the crisis. India has, in this context, expressed its support for Thailand's leadership in organising a Rice Summit.

In a fundamental sense, the ongoing 'globalisation' process has had a dramatic negative impact on the prices of food, including rice, across this region, which comprises all 16 member-states of the East Asia Summit. There are several reasons for this, but a political reality stands out. The United States continues to deploy its space-age war-machine in Iraq for the so-called "war on terror." A major spin-off, actually a worldwide economic consequence, is the space-age velocity with which the price of oil has been driven up. Such a negative spin-off can be traced to three factors: the politics of external intervention in Iraq, the confrontational attitude of the U.S. towards the oil-rich governments considered to be hostile to its global interests, and the inevitable backlash to such "neo-hegemonic" tendencies.

In these circumstances, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has, without of course making a compelling political reference to the U.S., declared that "the era of cheap food is over, if the era of cheap oil [for fuel] is over."

Surely, the linkage between crude oil, on the one side, and food and curry, on the other, is not nullified by different perceptions about the meaning of low prices on either side of the worldwide development divide. Moreover, it requires no special insight to recognise the cascading effect of fuel prices on costs of production in the farm sector and, therefore, on the retail prices of rice and other commodities.

Political leaders and economists do not, of course, see the brewing crisis through the solitary prism of fuel prices. Other identified factors include the conversion of farmland into special economic zones and the like in the developing countries; the diminishing productivity since the gains of the decades-old Green Revolution in several parts of the world; and the obsession of the developed bloc with biofuels.

As an institution committed to 'globalisation,' the Manila-based ADB is of course very circumspect in its assessments of the emerging East Asian food situation. Its Managing Director-General, Rajat M. Nag, said in Singapore a few days ago that the rice stocks in Asia "are the lowest in decades" but that there was no cause for "a doomsday picture of huge scarcity." However, he agreed that stocks were not always available in the right quantities at the right places and at the right time — in essence, that it is a distribution challenge.

The huge magnitude of the escalating distribution challenge, caused in part by the rise in demand due to growth of incomes across Asia, is acknowledged by the region's political leaders. An economic contradiction, at another but related level, is that 'globalisation' has not brought cheer to the poor. Without directly blaming 'globalisation' for this, the ADB estimates that nearly 1.2 billion people in Asia are now in a highly vulnerable category. Among them, roughly 600 million make the equivalent of less than $1 a day, while almost a similar number of people have daily earnings of just over that benchmark level.

The poverty profile of Asia makes it vulnerable to the phenomenally high food costs. The prices of finer varieties of rice in Thailand, the largest exporter of the commodity, zoomed past the $1000-a-tonne mark at one stage in recent weeks. No less important to the regional scene are the supply vagaries noticed during this period and the fears of future scarcities. The rice export restrictions imposed independently by Vietnam and India, in a calibrated fashion to protect domestic supplies, have come in for adverse attention. Thailand has been at pains to proclaim its intention to refrain from resorting to an export ban. Moreover, moves are under way to launch a Thailand-initiated organisation of rice-exporting countries.

The marketplace, however, is dominated by the mood of the price-sensitive buyers among the vulnerable sections; and they tend to be sceptical about long-term supplies as well.

In the eyes of the affected people, the balancing acts of the rice-exporting countries, in their search for domestic and global food security, can well be politics on a different planet.

The public protests in several pockets of South-East Asia, including in Indonesia and the Philippines, have been largely overshadowed by the 'panic-buying' at outlets retailing subsidised rice. While food riots of the kind witnessed in some other parts of the world did not mark the initial reactions of East Asians to the current rice crisis, there is no denying the crisis itself in this region.

Thailand, and Vietnam, another key export-player, are under the spotlight in East Asia. India and China are invariably watched on the regional stage as regards a variety of issues. China, currently preoccupied with Olympics-related matters, is known to set, and act on, its own terms, very often successfully, on the regional front. And, Japan has announced plans to extend food aid of the order of $100 million to vulnerable countries, including those in East Asia. On May Day, President George W. Bush, too, pledged new food aid, which would take the total U.S. pledges to nearly $1 billion to help tide over the global crisis. Significantly, in this context, East Asia, which the U.S. treats as its own backyard for geopolitical and geo-economic reasons, might also stand to benefit.

This keeps the East Asian focus on India, a major rice-exporter, in high intensity. The ADB has suggested that India should not resort to curbs on its exportof non-basmati varieties and must desist from imposing price controls. In this situation, New Delhi may face a leadership test in the region over the rice crisis, after having come under the spotlight on climate change and the India-U.S. civil nuclear energy deal.—SAN-Feature Service Courtesy: The Hindu,India

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[mukto-mona] Public outrage against Rhino killing in Assam

SAN-Feature Service

SOUTH ASIAN NEWS-FEATURE SERVICE

May 6,2008

Public outrage against Rhino killing in Assam

Nava Thakuria

SAN-Feature Service : Finally the Assam government has bowed to the growing public outrages. Following intense public pressure, the province government of Northeast India, has favoured for a CBI probe into the cases of rhino poaching at different preserves in the state. The state chief minister Tarun Gogoi on May 2 declared that following demands from various socio-environment organizations, the government has decided to go for a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the killing of over 30 rhinos in Assam since January 2007.

The civil societies and the advocacy groups of the region had rigorously raised voices against the slaughtering of endangered one horn rhinos by poachers since the early part of 2008. But surprisingly enough, the concerned authority and the state government preferred to overlook the public resentment.

For more than three months, the wildlife lovers have strongly condemned the authority of Kaziranga National Park (KNP), which had witnessed the loss of 26 rhinos to poachers since January 2007. But neither the authority nor the government had shown the moral courage to admit their incompetence in protecting the inmates of the celebrated park.

The last week of April witnessed the slaughtering of two more rhinos in Kaziranga. The forest guards discovered the bodies of the rhinos, one of them was a calf, inside the park, but the horns were already chopped off.. Even the tigers feasted half of the bodies of the rhino calf, when the forest guards witnessed them. It has added the list of rhinos, fallen prey to poachers at KNP, up to six in this year.

Recognized as a safe heaven for the rhinos, Kaziranga gives shelter to almost two-thirds of the total population of one-horned rhinos on Earth.. A 1984 census showed that Kaziranga, which was declared a National Park in 1974, had 1,080 rhinos. The toll increased during 1975 to 1990, nearly 25 per year. The statistics showed that rhino population was found 1069 in another census during 1991. The census in 1999 provided more optimistic result as the number of rhinos soared to 1,552. The last census in 2006 revealed the number of rhinos in the park at 1,855.

The rhino horn enjoys great demand in international market as it is considered to contain aphrodisiac qualities. The heavy animal enjoys great sexual power, as its mating time is not less than 45 minutes (quite higher than any other animal). Many people believe that one can achieve the sexual power with the help of rhino horns. They consider the rhino horns as another kind of traditional viagra. The horns are also believed to have medicinal values. The traditional Chinese medicine demands rhino horns, which is believed to cure fever and stomach ailments fast. China, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea and the Middle East are known to be huge markets for illegal trading of rhino horns. It fetches a few thousand US dollars per kilogram of horn in the international market.

The park director Suren Buragohain remained clueless at the increasing incidents of poaching of rhinos and only parroted his earlier version, "The poachers are equipped with sophisticated weapons. But our forest guards lack the proper arms to counter them."

However, Mr. Buragohain has earned brickbats from wildlife advocates as the recent increase in rhino poaching has occurred during his tenure. Statistics reveal that during his term of around a year, Kazirnaga lost the highest number of rhinos in a decade.

If the director was oblivious to the grave threats to rhino poaching in Kaziranga, the Assam forest minister showed equally insensitive and callous approach to the issue. All the time, the young minister in Tarun Gogoi's state cabinet, preferred to ignore the matter. It finally compelled the students union, environmental activists, journalists' organizations and political leaders to adopt the path of demonstration against the minister.

It started with Nature's Beckon, an active environment NGO of the region, which staged a protest rally on October 1 last year against the authority for its failure to manage the forest and wildlife of Assam. The concern for the rhinos was visible in media through the editorials and the letters to the editor columns. Concerned ordinary citizens and the opposition political parties also expressed their deep anguish against the continued poaching of rhinos in Assam, particularly in Kaziranga.

Soon the activists belonged to All Assam Students Union (AASU), an influential students body of Northeast, staged demonstrations throughout Assam on February 2, protesting against the authority's failure to protect the rhinos. The venues included the offices of the forest departments in all parts of Assam. The AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya, an aggressive student leader, demanded the resignation of Rockybul Hussain, the forest minister of Assam 'for failing to take adequate steps to stop this heinous crime against a national treasure'.

Lately, the AASU activists organized a citizens' meet at Kohora near the Kaziranga park, to hammer on the authority on its failure to protect the rhinos. The daylong meet on February 24, which was attended by various pressure groups, resolved to emphasize on a high level probe to catch the real perpetrators behind rhino poaching.

Various speakers in the crowded meeting, which was inaugurated by an eminent Assamese author Arup Kumar Dutta with the children novel 'The Kaziranga Trail' fame, highlighted the demand for a special task force, equipped with modern weapons for protection of flora and fauna, an annual census of rhinos and a citizen monitoring committee involving the indigenous people to keep an eye on the wildlife. The state forest minister was accused of non-performance by most of the speakers and the chief minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi was also targeted by them for his lingering silence on the issue only to safeguard his ministerial college.

Shocking revelation is however made by the director of Nature's Beckon. Talking to this writer, Soumyadeep Datta claimed that the forest department of Assam was itself involved with the illegal trade of rhino horns. "We have authentic information that Assam forest department had sold more than 300 rhino horns even after India adopted the wildlife protection act in 1972. We can give the relevant statistics of the sold rhino horns in details as 29 (during 1971-72), 13 (1972-73), 19 (1973-74), 40 (1974-75), 18 (1975-76), 27 (1976-78), 42 (1977-78), 63 (1978-79), 63 (1978-79), 61 (1979-80)," Mr Datta revealed.

In fact, the young activist came out with such an apprehension more than two months back. Addressing the media persons at Guwahati press club on February 4, Mr Datta commented, "We suspect that a large share of the wildlife parts, which are being sold in the international markets, made way from the forest department's stock due to the manipulation and corrupt practices of some dishonest forest officials."

So we want to a probe (preferably by Central Bureau of Investigation) on the stock of animal parts in the custody of Assam forest department, as it is assumed that some precious parts of rhinos, elephants, tigers and leopards had gone for international markets from the official stock of the department, Mr Datta insisted.

In India, poaching is a punishable offence with up to seven years' imprisonment. India has been a member to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species since 1976 and hence, in principle at least, is bound by all its efforts to eliminate International trade in wildlife and wildlife parts, he added.

As the controversy gained momentum, one rhino was slaughtered at Kaziranga on February 5, which created a huge public uproar throughout the region. Under pressure, the forest minister Mr Hussain rushed to Kaziranga and ordered to deploy additional 100 armed guards in the park. Compelled by the situation, the minister even disclosed that he had no reservation against a CBI enquiry into the entire issue of poaching at the National parks of Assam.

The demand for a CBI probe into the killings of rhinos was also highlighted during a Nagorik Sobha (citizens' meet), which was organized by a local journalist group. The Journalists' Forum, Assam, during its meeting on February 13 urged the state chief minister 'to break his silence on the issue and let the people know his government's stand and the steps he has taken, if any, to stop the menace'. In one of its resolutions, the meeting asserted that the incumbent forest minister had miserably failed to protect the rhinos and prevent their poaching and hence no longer he remained 'fit for the job'.

The concern for the rhinos was also expressed by a group of non-resident Assamese (Indian), who joined the chorus to save the rhinos. The Friends of Assam & Seven Sisters (FASS), in a recent statement, supported the demand for a credible and high level enquiry into the ongoing killings of the precious animals.

"We think volumes have been written and spoken about the ineffectiveness of the present measures to protect the rhinos in KNP and other sites. Now it is time to act. We urge for an immediate CBI investigation into the ongoing killings of rhinos, and take disciplinary actions against the officials and individuals responsible for the lack of protective actions," commented Rajen Barua, CMD of FASS stated. Speaking to this writer from New York, Mr Barua added, "Since the state government has failed miserably in its duties, the administration of the KNP should immediately be placed under military rule for the time being with strict orders to treat the poachers as terrorists. More over, a citizen's vigilance committee should be formed to monitor the situation on a regular basis in the national parks."

Concerned ordinary citizens, political party members, and media in general have all expressed their deep anguish against the continued slaughtering of rhinos in Assam, particularly at Kaziranga. The newspaper readers and television viewers had a shocking experience in January when they were exposed to visuals of a wounded rhino at Kaziranga. A mother rhino, which had already lost her baby to poachers for its horn, was shown falling victim to poachers. The poachers cut her horn when she was alive. For the next two days the rhino suffered with severe wounds on the mouth and finally she succumbed to injuries.

But even after the escalating public resentments, the state government remained silent on the issue for all the time. The chief minister, Mr Gogoi, who is otherwise outspoken, avoided the issue while talking to media persons. The state forest minister also continued to cover up his face. But finally the public censure has won the battle, as the Assam government had bowed down. There was however wild allegations that the Congress led government always put a deaf ear to the public grievances. But in respect of rising incidents of rhino poaching and public protests in Assam, the government found it in a difficult position to ignore the public furies for longer period and finally goes with the people's mandate.—SAN-Feature Service

Nava Thakuria is senior journalist based in Guwahati, Assam,India.

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[mukto-mona] INSIDE SHARIA COURT - 2 & 3

[mukto-mona] Sajek violence: Civic body report calling for urgent relief for victims

[ALOCHONA] Bangladesh Needs Controlled Democracy

[ALOCHONA] Constituency Demarcation - Parties misread EC's jurisdiction

[ALOCHONA] Int'l Training on Knowledge Management by JT Frank Academy of Malaysia

[mukto-mona] Conversions as a political tool ISP May 2008 I

[mukto-mona] Food security concerns in East Asia

[mukto-mona] Public outrage against Rhino killing in Assam

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