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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

[ALOCHONA] Forged credentials



Forged credentials

Mushfique Wadud investigates the widespread trend of forging academic certificates
 
It was another usual day at the Nilkhet book market when, at around 1:30pm, a teenager walks up to one of the computer printing shops. After ensuring that he is not being followed, he goes into the shop and takes out a paper from his bag.

   He hands over the paper to the shopkeeper who scans it into his computer. As soon as the shopkeeper returns the paper to the teenager, he goes away for a while leaving the shopkeeper to work on the contents of the document, on his computer.

   The shopkeeper prints out the 'modified' contents on a special paper, after working at it for nearly 45 minutes. By 2:30pm, the teenager returns and while he is handed the newly printed document by the shopkeeper, the employee of another shop remarks, 'some people spend 10 years to get a certificate but people like you can get it in just an hour!'

   The certificate in question is, of course, a fake, although the incident was very real as witnessed by this correspondent at Daffodil's Printers, at Shop number 174-175 of Baku Shah Market (Nilkhet book market's actual name) on May 5. When asked about fake IELTS certificates, Ziauddin, an employee at one of the book stores at Nilkhet, says, 'any type of certificate is possible, provided you supply an original.'

   Some recent incidents involving fake certificates paint a grim picture of how such illegal certificates are being widely used for professional purposes. In June of last year, the Southeast Bank, a leading private bank in Bangladesh, made headlines after dismissing a dozen officers in Chittagong, who, they allege, had submitted forged certificates of their educational qualifications during appointment.

   Similar headlines about Judge Faisal Mahmud Faizee of the High Court had raised public interest and brought the 'fake certificate' scam to public knowledge in 2007. However, the conclusion by the University Grants Commission (UGC) probe committee that Mahmud's LLB certificate was, in fact, fake, did little to shake up the authorities at curbing the situation.

   The numerous recoveries of fake certificates and people arrested for making these by the law enforcement officials over the years further establishes the notion.

   On November 21, 2009 the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Zahid Ahmed and Rezaul Karim from Sylhet's Bondor Bazar area with fake certificates and mark sheets.

   ccording to RAB, the two were involved in such activities for quite a while.

   The illegal trade has blossomed over the years due to the involvement of modern technology which makes the documents look like originals. 'It is really tough to differentiate a fake from the original,' says Selim Ahmed, a Dhaka University (DU) student at Nilkhet, where a number of unscrupulous shops carry on with the trade.

   RAB sources, who made recoveries on numerous occasions, admit to Xtra that it was difficult for even them to identify the fake certificates. 'After making some of the recoveries, we had to send some certificates to the education board for verification,' says Enamul Haque, an assistant director of RAB-7.

   He informs Xtra that after managing high quality papers and original certificates, the frauds scan the original certificates. 'Using Photoshop or similar graphics software, they modify certain fields like the name, roll number, registration number, grade information and some other information on the scanned versions of the certificates,' he says.

   'After being printed, the new certificate contains the name, desired grades and scores of the person paying the money for the fake document. This is why it is tough to distinguish, as the procedure is more or less the same as a legally printed certificates handed out by school, college or university authorities,' he says.

   However, sources inform Xtra that it is difficult for the frauds to make a fake certificate without any original. 'We need to modifications,' says a fake certificate maker, who chose not to divulge his name.

   'Sometimes your friend or relative may borrow your certificate citing that they need it just to see your grades, although they are actually going to photocopy it and use this to make fake certificates. Without your knowledge, your roll number, registration number and other details are probably being used in some fake certificate,' he says.

   When they do not have any original certificate copies, they get in touch with the education board officials, most of whom provide them with photocopies in exchange for fast cash.

   'Whether it is HSC, SSC, Diploma degree, Dhaka University, North South University or any other private or public universities, we will get you the almost-exact certificate of these institutions, provided you will pay us the money,' assures Mohsin, a salesman at Khan Photostat and Computer at shop number 49 and 50 at Baku Shah Market on May 5, when asked about which certificate was available through his shop.

   'As getting the paper is a big challenge, you would need to pay extra for some of the certificates for which we would need to contact board officials,' he says.

   Enamul also informs Xtra that they had found the involvement of board employees with these groups during recoveries. 'We even arrested some board officials,' he says.

   Due to the involvement of such officials and other variables, the price of fake certificate varies. Primarily, the fake document's price will be higher depending on how latest the issuance date on it is supposed to be.

   'A 2002 HSC certificate will cost you Tk 2,000; the price will increase if the year increases,' says Mohsin. He mentions that for making such certificates a special and expensive paper called 'Shapla' is required.

   'For this paper, you need to pay extra money. You can get GCE Ordinary and Advanced Level certificates between Tk 3,000 to 4,000,' he says.

   Although this correspondent had assured the shopkeeper of getting in touch later, Mohsin had jotted down his number. He eventually called this correspondent on the evening of May 5 from the mobile number 01726869169 asking whether he would buy a fake certificate or not.

   While fake certificate producing shops are sprouting up in different parts of the country, there are particular areas where these are found aplenty. The Nilkhet computer market is one such centre, most of whose computer shops have computers, high quality printers, scanners and other required equipment for making fake certificates.

   Sources inform Xtra that almost all the shops on the first line of block C at Baku Shah market are into the 'illegal certificate' business.

   'If you ask the salespersons or shopkeepers here blatantly for certificates, they will refuse to help you and even deny that they are into such trade,' says a tea-stall owner at the area. 'However, they will be ready to bargain if you can get the message across rather discreetly that you are interested in buying such documents,' he adds.

   However, this notion is not unknown to the law enforcement forces either, who have made numerous recoveries from the spot over the years. As such, the fake certificate businessmen had to change their strategy.

   'As the customers come looking for the certificates here, the deal is completed in this area, only after verifying the authenticity of the customers,' says a salesman of a shop at Nilkhet. 'However, most certificates are made at other locations and are handed over the documents at a ''later-decided'' location,' he adds.

   These destinations can be at any part of the city. Some businesses have also opened their shops in residential areas where they operate under the guise of computer and photocopy shops.

   RAB has also recovered fake certificates from different residential areas in the city. On July 19, 2009, RAB-10 recovered a significant number of fake certificates, computers, printers and other machineries from a two-storey building of Dhaka's Alambagh under Kodomtoli thana and arrested Abdul Jalil in connection with the illegal documents.

   According to RAB-10, Jalil was involved in this business for a long time. RAB also recovered similar items and machineries from Gabtoli, Shyamoli and Mirpur residential areas.

   The trade is also going on outside the city in Sylhet, Chittagong and other parts of the country. On February 8, 2009 RAB-9 recovered certificates and arrested a 'fraud' from Sylhet's Surma market area and also recovered such fake documents from Bondor bazaar of the city on November 11, 2009.

   RAB-7 recovered fake certificates from Chittagong's court building on April 13, 2009, from Andorkilla on July 17 and from BRTA area of the port city on July 20.

   RAB-7 sources inform Xtra that Surma market, MC College and its adjacent areas and other computer markets are considered as the centres of fake certificates in Sylhet.

   But why is there such a huge demand for fake certificates? Certificate-making culprits and members of the law enforcement authorities of regular citizens inform Xtra that these are used mainly for overseas employment purposes.

   'Some workers, vying for work in organisations of foreign countries, use fake certificates to get better salaries and secure jobs,' says Sazeed Hamid, an employee of a private firm.

   'In some professions like salesman, marketing representatives and so on, in foreign countries, certificates with exemplary scores and grades are required, and this is why there is this growing demand,' says Enamul.

   Enamul informs Xtra that due to these reasons, the expatriate ministry banned the lamination of certificates and most of the foreign educational institutions also stopped accepting laminated certificates from students, seeking higher education, after 2002-03.

   As customers have varying needs, the frauds have all kinds of fake certificates in their inventory. Starting from fake Dhaka University graduate and post-graduate degrees and MBBS certificates, also available are SSC, HSC, General Certificate Examination (GCE) Ordinary level and Advanced level certificates.

   Of late, there has been a slump in the sale of GCE Ordinary and Advanced level certificates as the fake ones lack the special holograms that is present on the originals. However, the frauds are over-compensating this loss through the growing demand for SSC and HSC fake certificates.

   'There is a huge demand for SSC and HSC certificates while the demand for O and A level certificates are falling,' says a fake certificate maker.

   Due to the burgeoning problem, only in 2003, the DU controller of examinations received about 200 letters with regard to fake certificates from 16 universities in Canada, UK, USA, New Zealand and Australia, through their diplomatic missions in Dhaka.

   Fake certificates are also available for diploma doctors and nurses. Most doctors and nurses, practicing in rural areas, spend some money to collect these certificates as there is little chance of their certificates being scrutinised in these areas.

   On January 27, 2009, RAB-4, led by magistrate Anwar Pasha, arrested Joly Begum, wife of fake MBBS doctor MA Malek, the principal and owner of 'Medical Diploma Training Academy'. They also arrested fake doctor Jahangir, an assistant of MA Malek and seized fake certificates, admission forms, seals and other documents from Baghmari in Gabtali.

   According to RAB, Tk 75,000 was the price of a four year-long diploma course certificate, Tk 29,000 for a three year nursing programme certificate and Tk 13,000 for a one-year pathology diploma course's fake certificate.

   Dhaka Education Board Chairman Prof Fahima Khatun thinks that the law enforcement authorities should take tougher actions against the illegal certificate owners. 'It is not possible with our limited capacity to locate where the fake certificate businesses are being conducted and how dishonest students are getting such certificates,' she says.

   Fahima, however, informs Xtra that the board verifies any certificate as soon as such verification is requested by any local or foreign institutions, or companies. 'We urge all institutions, organisations or individuals to contact us if they have any confusion regarding certificates that they come across,' she mentions.

   Fahima thinks that if photos are used on certificates, the fake certificate trend can be stopped. 'Also if we use good quality papers for the certificates it will be difficult for the fake certificate makers to reproduce them,' she says.

   'While such plans are being considered, the implementation of these plans will be costly. These costs would need to be paid by the students,' she says.

   Acting register of Dhaka University Syed Rezaur Rahman informs Xtra that Dhaka University uses paper which is imported from outside the country. 'The special holograms on our certificates also make it difficult to duplicate them,' he says.

   'Even if some frauds produce fake certificates of the University of Dhaka, they can be verified easily,' he says.

   He shares with Xtra that every year the university receives letters from foreign educational institutions to verify certificates. 'It is a rule that before appointment or admission, a university asks for verification,' he says.

   'Personally I think improved paper can be used to curb this crisis,' he says.

   About laws regarding the use of fake certificates, Professor Liaquat Ali Siddiqui of the Law Department of University of Dhaka explains that there are no specific laws in place to curb the use of fake certificates.

   'When a person uses a fake certificate to get a job, his job application is cancelled and the problem ends there,' he says. 'However, if the fake certificate is used in the High Court, it will be a punishable offence,' he says.

   'As far as I know there is no strict punishment for submitting fake certificates. I think exemplary legal punishment, like ban on fake certificate user in applying for jobs for a period of three years to five years will be more effective at solving this situation,' he proposes.

   Tampered
   · Nilkhet book market – the hub for dealing in forged certificates in Dhaka. Forged certificates also rampant in Chittagong and Sylhet
   · Almost all kinds of certificates - HSC, SSC, Diploma degree, Dhaka University, North South University, IELTS, TOEFL, O and A Level – are forged around the country
   · Certificates forged by scanning originals, modifying inputs and printing on similar papers
   · Forged certificates used a lot for overseas employment
   · Education board officials involved in selling original certificate papers
   · The use of better quality paper and candidate photograph on certificates being considered
 


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[ALOCHONA] Fwd: Origin of the Tribes of Chittaging Hill Tracts (CHTs)



------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Javed Ahmad javedahmad@yahoo.com

I read the article with interest simply because one of my forefathers was an adviser to the Arakan King as per our family historical records that goes back several generations. We are basically the descendants of the immigrants who come to Bengal all the way from Iraq/Iran to preach Islam in this region.

Points I have noted are as follows:

1. Muslim rulers in this region tried to be just by installing a person in power from the original crowd not once but several times.

2. The mistake they have done however is by limiting their invasion till Arakan. With the power and capabilities they have had at that time they could have gone for a 'regime change' in Burma as well.

3. Although there were mom and pop kings here and there in the CHT region when the Kaptai dam was planned and built. But the population was few, as a result creation of the power project there was mutually done with agreement between the local kings and the Pak government. The populace accepted their fate of displacement and moved elsewhere.

4. Whatever problem that followed between the hill people and the Bengalees were basically due to political interference by India ignited further by the decision of the Bangladesh government to settle mass of Bangalees by giving away lands for occupation and settlement.

5. Despite all the evidences and historical records, Bangladesh showed generosity by accepting them as Bangladeshi citizens offering them special quotas in education and employment to help them to assimilate with the main stream society.

6. Brutality of the Burmese / Myanmar military government is nothing new. They are also butchering their own people and the country is at a state of civil war for many years now. The interesting matter however is, the UN is totally quiet about the situation and the USA has not attempted to 'export democracy' in that country by force yet as we have seen them doing at other countries.

7. Relationship between Myanmar and Bangladesh is not that good either. Often we see Myanmar violating our sea boundaries and massing troops at the border. There have been few occasion when Bangladesh took full preparation to counter a military attack from Myanmar. Inside information says, Myanmar backed off only for one reason and that is, Bangladesh Air Force is stronger than theirs. But they have stronger infantry and naval divisions.

8. Conclusion: This region will not see peace unless and until all the people accept Islam. Only Islam can eliminate the deeply rooted hate and prejudices in them allowing them live together in peace and harmony as members of common umbrella called "mankind'. Here are some quotes from the Qur'an -

002.213  Mankind was one single nation, and God sent Messengers with glad tidings

and warnings; and with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in

matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came

to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. God by

His Grace Guided the believers to the Truth, concerning that wherein they differed.

For God guided whom He will to a path that is straight.


004.001  O mankind! reverence your Guardian-Lord, who created you from a single

person, created, of like nature, His mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds)

countless men and women;- reverence God, through whom ye demand your mutual

(rights), and (reverence) the wombs (That bore you): for God ever watches over you.


010.019  Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later). Had it not been for a word

that went forth before from thy Lord, their differences would have been settled

between them.


018.054  We have explained in detail in this Qur'an, for the benefit of mankind, every

kind of similitude: but man is, in most things, contentious.


022.005  O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We

created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a

morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest

(our power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an

appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may

reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent

back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much),

and (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on

it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in

pairs).


049.013  O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and

made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may

despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of God is (he who

is) the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted

(with all things).




--- On Tue, 5/18/10, Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com> wrote:

From: Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com>
Subject: Origin of the Tribes of Chittaging Hill Tracts (CHTs)
To:
Date: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 9:33 AM


Origin of the Tribes of Chittaging Hill Tracts (CHTs)

By Abid Bahar, Canada

Introduction:Arakan was a medieval kingdom located at the edge of South Asia became a province of Burma after the Burmese invasion in 1784 and the subsequent annexation of it with Burma. To the people of India and Bangladesh, Arakan became sadly memorable for the tragic massacre of the Moghul prince Shah Suja and his entire family by the Arakanese king Sandathudamma.

It is important to note that Shah Suja before taking shelter in Arakan was the Moghul Govornor of Bengal (1639-60) and was being chased by the Moghal General Mir Jumbla. Suja was given the assurance of assylum by the Arakanese Mogh king. However, soon after his arrival in Arakan, Suja was robbed and then in 1661 at the order of the king the entire family was massacred. This tragic event triggered anger and frustration both in Arakan among Suja’s followers that accompanied him and also in the Moghul capital Delhi against the brutal murder of the royal family. Subsequent to the death of Shah Suja, the Moghals led a campaign led by Shah Suja’s uncle Shaista Khan who reconquered Chittagong. After the massacre of the Moghul prince and the chain of events of repeated uprising led to internal chaos in Arakan. At the same time, with the mighty Moghul presence in the Bay, Arakan lost its lucrative revenue from piracy and of slave trade. The new circumstances brought an end to the infamous “Golden age� of Arakan that survived through causing human suffering and misery.

In our contemporary period the event of Suja and the massacre of his family is not the reason why understanding the dynamics of ethnic relations in Arakan and by extention in Burma becomes so central; it is largely to watchfully understand the roots of racism in Arakan and to recognize the refugee production trends of the region. Indeed, Alamgir Serajuddin expresses rather bluntly the reasons behind the Arakan problem by saying, "The Arakanese [Rakhines] were a daring and turbulent people, a terror at once to themselves and to their neighbours. They fought among themselves and changed masters at will. Peace at home under a strong ruler signaled danger for neighbours."(1) True, Arakan a kingdom based essentially on slave trade when it had strong leader was a constant threat to its neighbors for its robbers but taking advantage of the internal chaos there led the Burmese occupation of Arakan and the subsequent neglect under the Burmese rule and the continued Burmese annexation of the Arakani territory subsequently turned Arakan into a tiny and backward province of Burma-no doubt it is the price of being disorderly.

Despite its present improvised existance, Arakan continued to make headlines in the international media not for any glorious present but for producing refugees. The people that have been exterminated are no more the Moghs but are the Rohingyas of northern Arakan. They complain that Rakhine hoodlums along with the Burmese military are involved in a war of intimidation against them. Rohingyas have been taking shelter in Southern Chittagong. Burmese Military government and their Mogh collaborators claim that these refugees are “Chittagongnian people�originally from Bangladesh. Contrary to the claim, surprisingly even the more recent, the 1978 Rohingya refugees were found to carry Burmese National Registration cards. (2) But in the 1991-92’s there was the fresh eviction of refugees, the latter Rohingyas arrived in Bangladesh without the NRC cards. Rohingya leaders claim that the NRCs were being confiscated before the eviction.

Chris Lewa of Forum Asia says Rohingyas were “… being discriminated against on the basis of their ethnicity and religion. They have been excluded from the nation-building process in Myanmar and the military regime has implemented policies of exclusion and discrimination against this group aimed at encouraging them to leave the country. These systematic policies have maintained underdevelopment and have been the driving force behind two mass refugee exoduses to Bangladesh, in 1978 and again in 1991/92. The combination of human right violations the Rohingya face -- from the denial of legal status to restriction of movement and economic constraints -- creates food insecurity and makes life in Northern Rakhine State untenable for many. Chris Lewa adds, “Rohingya children, in particular, are innocent victims suffering from the debilitating consequences of these government policies, which dramatically affect their physical and mental development, and will have long-lasting effects for the future of the Rohingya community.� (3)

It appears that the influx of refugees from Burma is not a new phenomenon. The present research findings show that Burmese invasion of Arakan resulting in the creation of refugees has been a cronic problem in this region. Even before 1978 mass eviction of the Rohingyas, historically there had been large scale refugee movements to Chittagong of Bangladesh. As a result of the historic Burmese invasions of Arakan, in addition to the contemporary Rohingyas exodus, it even led to the rise of Arakani origin population in southern Chittagong and in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Among them are the Chakmas (Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts), Rakhines (In Cox’s Bazar), Marma (In Banderbon), Tanchainga (in the central Chittagong Hill Tracts).

Burmese Invasions of Arakan

Among the many Burman invasions, there had been three major recorded attacks on Arakan. First was by Anawrahta in 1044 A.D. and the second invasion was by Min Khaung Yaza’s invasion in 1406 and the third major invasion was by Budapawa in 1784.

Anawrahta's Invasion of Arakan (1044)

Anawrahta (1044-77), by killing his own brother claimed the throne of Northern Burma for himself. He made Theravada Buddhism as the dominant political religion of Burma. It was in 1044 A.D. he invaded Arakan. Anawrahta, who also destroyed the Mon kingdom in the South, was known as one of the most violent kings of Burma. Ironically he also introduced Buddhism in Burma. He gave Buddhism, (originally a nonviolent religion,) a racial and political dimention in Burmese politics.

Anawrahta was known as a “religious fanatic� and his attack of Northern Arakan left some mark in this direction. At this time, the Chandra-Rohingyas (Hindu-Muslim mixed) population of Arakan were concentrated in the north was racially different from the Burmese population. The xenophobic king invaded Arakan as a mission to bring change from an Indianized population into an Asian variety and helped settle Tabeto-Burman Buddhist population. It was during his time that Chakmas, although racially mongoloid, but speaking a Chandra- Chittagonian language even felt threatned by the xenophobic invasion, left Arakan for Southern Chittagong.

King Min Khaung Yaza's Invasion of Arakan (1406)

In 1406 A. D., the second Burmese invasion was led by the Burmese King Min Khaung Yaza. As a consequence, Noromi-kala, the king of Arakan along with his large followers took asylum at Gaur, the court of Bengal sultan Gaisuddin Azam Shah. This invasion also led to a large scale influx of people who were the followers of the king to settle in Bengal.

In 1430 A. D., after 24 years of exile in Bengal, Sultan Jalal uddin Khan sent his General "Wali Khan as the head of 20 thousand pathan army" to restore Noromikla to his throne. Noromi Kla now takes the name Sulauman Shah and becomes the king. He shifted his Captial to a new palace site in Mrohaung.

In 1431 General Wali Khan removes Noromi Kla and rules Arakan. General Wali Khan, the first independent Muslim ruler of Arakan. He first introduced Persian as the official language of Arakan. Noromi-kla again escapes to Bengal to seek help from the Sultan of Bengal.

1433 Nadir Shah, the Bengal Sultan sent General Sindhi Khan with 30,000 solders to help restore Noromi -kla as the king. After this event, Arakan becomes a province of Bengal. Wali Khan was killed in the battle and his followers were allowed to settle near Kalander River. In return for the help, the Arakannse king promised to return the twelve feuds of Chittagong, which most likely be the the whole of southern Chittagong that was then under Arakanese rule. Arakan began to pay annual taxes and Persian continued to be used as the court language. The consequence of the retaking over of Arakan by Noromi -kla with the help of the Muslim army had the effect of the settlement of a great number of Rohingya Muslim population in Arakan. (4)

Budapawa's Invasion of Arakan (1784)

The 1784 Burmese invasion of Arakan was considered by historians as a genocide for its ruthlessness massacre of Arakanese population of both Rohingya and Rakhine groups. In the month of December, 1784 Burmese king Budapawa attacked Arakan with 30,000 soldiers and returned with 20,000 people as prisoners, destroyed temples, shrines, mosques, seminaries, and libraries including the Royal library. Muslims serving the Royal palace as ministers were also massacred.

The Burmese king in order to put down the Arakanese Buddhist spirit also took away Mohamuni, the famous Buddhist statue, a symbol of Arakanese pride of independence. The Mohamuni was cast in bronze amd colored in gold. It was sent across the mountains of Taungpass. There were hundreds of Moghs and Muslims forced to carry the statue to Burma through the inacessable mountanious pass which led to the death of hundreds as they were on their way to Burma. The kings advise to his invading commenders that "If one cuts down the 'Kyu' reed, do not let even its stump remain." Ga Thandi, the king of Arakan took shelter with his followers in the deep jungles of Chittagong where his decendents still live in Bandarbon. They now call themselves as the Marma. Interestingly, among the people Budapawa carried with him were Rohingyas, a British scholar visiting Burma in 1799 met some people who identified themselves as the Rohingyas. (5)

During the time of the Burmese invasion of Arakan, Chittagong came under the British rule. The British never attempted to rescue the Arakani king to his throne. To escape the brutal attack of the Burmese King both Muslims and Hindus of Arakan fled to safety in Chittagong. Puran Bisungri, a Hindu Rohingya "was an officer of the police station of Ramoo."He was born in Arakan and fled the country after Burmese invasion in 1784.� (5) Harvey says, traditionally Burmese cruelty was such that " to break the spirit of the people, they would drive men, women and children into bamboo enclosures and burn them alive by the hundreds." This resulted in the depopulation of minority groups such that "there are valleys where even today the people have scarcely recovered their original numbers, and men still speak with a shudder of 'manar upadrap' (the oppression of the Burmese)."(6)

During the invasion of Arakan, the Burmese king took with him 3,700 Muslims and settled them in Mandalay. Some of them were known to even become the Ministers to the Burmese king. The decendents of the 3,700 Muslims are known as Thum Htaung Khunya (Three thousand seven hundred). For the continued oppression, in Southern Chittagong, a term was coined for Arakan of now Burma as the "Moghur Mulluk" meaning the land of lawless people, generally referring to the Burmese oppression of the time. The Arakaniese Muslims and Hindus that continued to escape to Chittagong ro settle there were called by the Chittagonian Bengalis as the “Rohi.� "During the seven years of their operation, the population of Arakan was reduced by no less than half. During the early months of 1884, a quarter of a million {refugees took shelter} in the English territory of Chittagong."(7)

The oppression of the Burmese became clear from what refugees had to say at the time: We will never return to the Arakan country; if you choose to slaughter us here we are willing to die; if you drive us away we will go and dwell in the jungles of the great mountains.(8) It was during this time that Rakhines of Bangladesh in the Cox’s Bazar area, Rohingyas in great numbers and some smaller Arakani tribes also took shelter in Chittagong. The most significant rise of nonBengali settlement in Chittagong took place due to this Burmese genocide that took place in 1784.

Brithish rule (1826 AD - 1942 AD)

After the Burmese conquest of Arakan, the Burmese king demanded the fugitives be returned. In 1824 a decisive war between the Burmese and the British took place resulting in the British occupation of Arakan. By now due to the merciless massacre, Arakan almost became depopulated. "When the British occupied Arakan, the country was a scarcely populated area. Formerely high- yield peddy fields of the fertile Kalandan and Lemro river valleys germinated nothing but wild plants for many years. (9)

Mogh Memories of the past and the rise of anti-Rohingya racist jolts and shaking in Arakan.

It was in the Kalandan and Lemro river valleys where Rohingya Muslims were farmers and peasants. There were fewer people to cultivate the land. Rakines males normally love to enjoy entertainment than do the hardwork. Rohingyas were the hardworking peasants.The British adopted the policy “to encourage the ...inhabitants from the adjacent areas to migrate into fertile valleys in Arakan as agriculturists. ... A Superndent, later an Assistant commisioner of Bengal, was sent in 1828 for the administration of Arakan Division, which was divided into three districts repectively,: Akyab, Kyaukpyu, and Sandoway, with an assistant commissioner in each district.�(10) After the British conquest, despite the memories of horror, but naturally out of nostalgia, some Rakhines and Rohingya refugees from Chittagong returned to Arakan. Aye Chan, a xenophobic Rakhine writer calls these returnees as the settlements of foreigners in Arakan. He calls them as “Influx Viruses.� Surprisingly, he remains silent to the Rakhine returnees to Arakanese returning home. He also finds the huge Rakine (Mogh) and Rohingya settlement in Southern Chittagong due to Budapawa’s genocide as normal. He characterizes the slight increase in the Muslim population in Arakan after the British conquest as the settlement by "Chittagonian Bengali Muslims."(11) Aye Chan's claim of these people as being Chittagonians is due to the fact that he didn’t take into account the fact that many of the original uprooted people of Arakan returned to Arakan to claim their possessions. Given such a disturbing climate in Arakan after such a destruction by the Burmese king, one wonders, why Chittagonians living in a relatively peaceful region would migrate to Arakan. Naturally, the Muslim migrants were the original Rohingya inhabitants of Arakan returning to their ancestral homes. It is evident from the fact that in the aftermath of the genocide, despite the return of order by the British occupation, but the fear of uncertainity still persisted and the returnees driven by nostalgia and even many other Rohingyas preferred to work in Arakan only as "seasonal labourers."

1930 and 1938 anti Indian riots.

In the meantime, there was 1930 and 1938 anti Indian riots and Burma for Burmese campaign led by the Monks made Muslims of Arakan felt the threat of their existence in Burma but the British census at this time made things more complicated for the Arakani Rohingyas. The British identified the Rohingyas of Arakan as the Indian Muslims.

Japanese Rule (1942-1945)

The next large scale migration of Rohingyas to Chittagong took place during World War 11. In 1942 Japan occupied Burma and the ultra-nationalist Buddhists jointly massacred the Karens, the Mons and in Arakan the Rohingyas. Feeling the threat of extinction, and certain Rakhines determined to drive out the Muslims of Arakan, Muslim leaders officially took the already existing name for their suffering community as the “Rohingyas.� However, Rohingyas were conveniently identified by the Rakhine extremists as being the “Chittagonians.� During the time of Japanese occupation, the number of Rohingya death in Arakan was staggering to be over 100,000. Rohingyas call the event as the "Karbalai Arakan," the bloodshed in Arakan. (12)

In 1942 when the British withdrew from Arakan, the Japanese immediately took over control of Arakan. The Arakanese xenophobic hoodlums began to incite people with the slogan, "our brothers came, and your brothers left you." The hoodlums began to attack the Muslim villages in souhern Arakan and the Rohingya Muslims fled to the North where they took vengeance on the Rakhines in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships(13) Ashraf Alam provides a list of 294 villages destroyed in the pogroms of 1942: (a) Myebon in Kyaukpru District 30 villages; (b) Minbya in Akyab District 27 villages; (c) Pauktaw in Akyab District 25 villages; (d) Myohaung in Akyab District 58 villages; (e) Kyauktaw in Akyab District 78 villages; (f) Ponnagyun in Akyab District 5 villages; (g) Rathedaung in Akyab District 16 villages; and (h) Buthidaung in Akyab District 55 villages. (14) In 1950, a memorandum by the public of Maungdaw demanded the protection of fundamental rights and demanded an unconditional repatriation of Rohingyas from Chittagong. Yoger claims that during this time the Arakani Muslim migration to Chittagong was at 20,000.(16)

There was no action taken by the British to bring the Rohingya refugees back to Arakan. But due to this event, the Rakhine-Rohingya relations deteriorated further. Aye Chan says: "It is certain that hundreds of Muslim inhabitants of southern Arakan fled north. “(15). At the same time Chan from his chauvinistic believes contradicted himself by saying that Rohingyas in Butheding, Maungdaw etc. areas in the north bordering Bangladesh are migrants from Chittagong. In this Chan seems to have failed to keep consistency in his arguments.

Rohingya Refugees in Chittagong during U Nu's period (1948-1962)

In 1948 Burma became independent from British rule. Rohingyas again began to be protectionless. Aung San became Burma's democracy leader. He was trying to bring ethnic harmony through dialogue with ethnic minorities but the entire team of democracy leaders including Aung San was assisinated by powerful quarters who sought to control Burma by force.

1958 Rohingya refugges took shelter in East Pakistan; the number of refugees identified as being 10,000. (17) 1959, Burma agreed with East Pakistan governor Zakir Hossain to take back Rohingya refugees who had taken shelter in Chittagong in 1958. When questioned "why refugees were pouring into Pakistan from Burma, the Govornor replied that the government of Burma had noting to do with it. Actually the Moghs of Arakan were creating the trouble." (18) In

1960 The Daily Guardian, Rangoon, 27th October 1960 reports that Burmese "Supreme Court queshes expulsion orders against Arakanese Muslims."(19)

It is true, the disturbances were not entirely foreign inspired. Pumped up in prejudice by the

leading Pongyi activist, U Ottama, from 1930’s Arakan became anti-Rohingya and anti-Muslim.

(20)

Rohingya Refugees during Military rule (1962-)

In 1962, General Ne Win took over power and confiscated most Indian and Chinese owned busineses in Rangoon and began his “Burmanization policy� which advocated that "Burma is for Burmans," referring that Burma is for racially Mongoloid and religiously Buddhist people. Ne Win first began a policy of "divide and rule" in Arakan between the Mogh and the Rohingyas. His government identified the Rohingyas as "Indian Bengalis" from Chittagong migrated to Burma during the British period beginning from 1826. (20)

As mentioned warlier, in 1978 an officially recorded 207,172 Rohingyas took shelter in Chittagong. UNHCR and Amnesty International investigation found out that Rohingyas were carrying Burmese National Registration cards. I have personally visited the refugee camps in Ukhiya of southern Chittagong. The area was as if a sea of refugee camps. When asked people if they had any documents provng their citizenship, little children ran to their parents to fatch the documents. I have seen NRC certificates with Burmese seal testifying their Burmese nationality.

This revealation by international agencies, forced the Burmese government to accept the Rohingyas back to Arakan.(21)

In 1982 the military rulers passed the Citizenship Act in which it made a povision that Burmese people' ancestors who came to settle in Burma before 1826 will be considered as "foreigners." Rohingyas were seen as people migrated from Chittagong of Bangladesh after 1826. Aye Chan and other similar Rakhines followed this line of xenophbic interpretation. Aye Chan wrote dehumanizing books and articles, identifying Rohingyas as the Bengali Muslim Immigrants" from Bangladesh.Contrary to such assertions, Rohingya’s earliest ancestory in Arakn however, dates back to the 8th century. Our research shows that Rohingyas called by the Arakan’s Tibeto-Burman population as the “Kulas� were the offsprings of the aboriginl Indian Chandras, Arabs, Persians, the soliders of the Bengal Sultan's army, the offsprings of the Mogh-Portuhuese captured Bengali slaves, Portuguese offsprings. (22). The name Rohingya was adapted by these people from various origins as a survival mechanism.

In 1990-92 again over 2,68,000 Rohingyas were sent back to Bangladesh. This time the Burmese government made sure that Rohingyas do not carry any official Burmese document. Rohingyas continue to be identified as "foreigners" and now suffer in the land they were born and brought up. The Burma's military in alliance with the Rakhine ultra-nationalist plays a extermination policy based on fear and intimidation.(23)

Habib Siddiqui identifies some of the major armed operations of intimidation against the Rohingya people, orchestrated by the Burmese government since 1948:

01. Military Operation (5th Burma Regiment) - November 1948

02. Burma Territorial Force (BTF) - Operation 1949-50

03. Military Operation (2nd Emergency Chin regiment) - March 1951-52

04. Mayu Operation - October 1952-53

05. Mone-thone Operation - October 1954

06. Combined Immigration and Army Operation - January 1955

07. Union Military Police (UMP) Operation - 1955-58

08. Captain Htin Kyaw Operation - 1959

09. Shwe Kyi Operation - October 1966

10. Kyi Gan Operation - October-December 1966

11. Ngazinka Operation - 1967-69

12. Myat Mon Operation - February 1969-71

13. Major Aung Than Operation - 1973

14. Sabe Operation February - 1974-78

15. Naga-Min (King Dragon) Operation - February 1978-79 (resulting in exodus of some 300,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh)

16. Shwe Hintha Operation - August 1978-80

17. Galone Operation - 1979

18. Pyi Thaya Operation â€" July 1991-92 (resulting in exodus of some 268,000 Rohingyas to Bangladesh)

19. Na-Sa-Ka Operation â€" since 1992.(24)

Despite a clear evidence of Burmese invasion and atrocities on the Rohingyas, resulting in the latter to take shelter in Chittagong, xenophobic writer’s continue to propagate that Rohingyas are "Chittagonians." The intensity of the nationalist hatred by the military reached so deep into the Burmese consciousness that today even some Burmese people began to believe that indeed Rohingyas are "Chittagonians" from Bangladesh. Contrary to this, the present research found that the production of refugees in general and the Rohingya refugees in particular from Arakan is not a new phenomenon; the study reveals that the internal troubles in Arakan along with the historic Burman invasions of Arakan from time to time led to the rise of not only the tribal people in Chittagong and in Chittagong Hill Tracts,( the Arakanese Rakhine settlements in Bandorban and Cox's Bazar, a result of mainly 1784 Burmese invasions, the Chakma settlements in Chittagong Hill Tracts) but also the Rohingyas settlements in the entire southern Chittagong area upto the Sangha River close to Bandarbon.

In understanding the refugee problem in Western Burma, the phenomenon of intolerance seems to be the deep-rooted cause. In Burma, Burma’s xenophobic authors continue to brand Rohingyas as the Chittagonians of Bangladesh. Rohingyas are not recognized as the "taingyintha" (indigenous) people of Burma for their racial differences with the Rakhines and the Burmans.

It is an encouraging sign to see that, while the ancestors of the Rakhine Moghs of Bandarbon and Cox's Bazar, the Chakmas of Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Rohingyas of Southern Chittagong were originally from Arakan took shelter in Chittagong and Chittagong Hill Tracts throughout this period, in Bangladesh, they are not being seen by Bangladeshis as foreigners from Arakan. It is evident that after the independence of Bangladesh these nonbengalis together with the Bengalis are now being identified on their territorial identity as being the Bangladeshis. The Bangladeshi Rohingyas in southern Chittagng, who migrated before 1971 are also being considered as Bangladeshis. Justifiably, in the democratic Bangladesh, no one should question the birth right of citizenship of the Chakmas, the Moghs and the other smaller tribals and the Bangladeshi Rohingyas.

In Arakan however, even after a million Rohingya people left Arakan, who now live in deplorable condition in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, and in the Gulf states, these ultra-nationalists continue to justify that Rohingyas are not Burmese citizens. It appears that the problem in Arakan is deep enough to go away sooner. This is evident from what U Khin Maung Saw, a typical Arakani xenophobe had to say, "As a born Arakanese [I am as a Rakhine author] is obliged to write the true story of the so-called "Rohingyas."(25) It denied the Rohingya rights by saying� the so-called Rohingya.�Today, Arakan’s “true hisory “refers to an exclusionist history that Arakan belongs to the Rakhines only and wish Rohingyas should be sent to Bangladesh.

Reacting to the Burmese policy of extermination of the Rohingyas, Saeed Khan wrote:"People have migrated for work or love or whatever reason during the entire history of mankind... If we go by the logic that …Rohynga people have roots in Chittagong they should all be thrown out of present day Burma/Myanmar then by that logic every person of nonaboroginal root should be thrown out of Australia, and every person with non native American root should be thrown out of America, every one with roots in West bengal in Bangladesh should be thrown out and everyone with roots in East Bengal should be thrown out of West Bengal/India. And if we keep on going like this we will reach a point where everyone should be thrown out of everywhere as according to science and genetics there is no so called "pure race". According to science every one in the present world has roots in a group of people out of Africa. So should we all go back to Africa? (27) In sending everybody to Africa, the only problem is that eversince huma races left Africa, half of Africa dried up to become the uninhabitable Sahara desert. In the meantime, Burmese invasion of Arakan on the Rohingya people continues and they escape persecution by land and by sea by boat risking their lives; those who survive live in refugee camps as Burma’s stateless refugee people.

Postscript:
______

In the above article, a review of the historical documents on the orign of the Tribes of Chittaging Hill Tracts show that all the major tribes of Chittagong Hill Tracts, especially the Chakma of Northern Chittagong Hill Tracts, Marma of Bandarbon and the Rakhines of Cox’s Bazar and the Rohingyas settled in Southern Chittagong were originally migrants from Arakan of Burma, the latter one the Rohingyas are the most recent migrants and the Rakhines migrated as late as during the British period.

After the liberation war of Bangladesh, the tribals staged armed rebellion against Bangladesh claiming them as being the aboriginal people; on this ground they even wanted the independence of Chittagong Hill Tracts. In this conflict the tribals armed by India, the total number of people both tribals and Bengalis that lost their lives were 1677 among them 1329 were Bengalis) Artifacts found and the given names of Chittagong Hill Tracts show Bengalis have been in Chittagong Hill Tracts from Prehistoric times. The new Bengali settllers in the Hill Tracts however were people mostly from Northern and South Western Bangladesh who land lost land due to river erotion or from the gradual desertification in those regions and according to the most recent Bangladesh census the population of Chittagong Hill Tracts is 45% Muslim Bengali and the rest comprised 55%.

Bangladesh constitution rightfully accepts the tribals as the citizens of Bangladesh. However, there is a growing concern that Hasina government giving the tribals the aboriginal status and therefore special status over the Bengalis is denying the rights of Bengalis in the land of their birth. In contrast, it is true, India the broker between the Tribals and the Hasina government itself to stop the the fear of seperation itself settles non Kashmiris in its occupied Kashmir. Many in Bangladesh fear that Bengali rebellion and the move by Hasina against its Bengali population will help the excelleration of Ihe tribal separatist movement that originally began from the time of Bangabandu Sheikh Mijibur Rahman) See for more details on the Hill Tracts:

• For details on Chittagong Hill Tracts and comments see Abid Bahar, Issues of Dispute and Contemporary Problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts,http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/49338?l=1

_________________

COMMENTS on Abid Bahar's, Issues of Dispute and Contemporary Problems in Chittagong Hill Tracts :

http://indigenousissuestoday.blogspot.com/2008/08/august-5-12-2008-five-key-indigenous.html

Koya said...

Dear Friend,

I belong to the Gond tribe of India and you must be aware that in India tribal are being systematically

displaced and killed in the name of development by the Indian Government policies and USA expansion

policies in India.

We have registered a political party by the name "Prithak Bastar Rajya Party" where we will be demanding

a seperate Bastar State to safe gaurd the interest of the tribal.Evo Morales is an inspiration for us.

Below is also a video link which might give you some insight to our plight.

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=1O2WwESwJhw

I would be grateful if you can mobilize some support for us in your country.

Regards,

Prabhat

bhumkal.blogspot.com

AUGUST 13, 2008 1:14 PM

Peter N. Jones said...

Prabhat,

Thank you for sending along this important information. A post on the Gond indigenous peoples is up - let us hope that this gets disseminated around so that more people become aware of what is happening.

Peace.

AUGUST 14, 2008 7:00 AM

Anonymous said...

Several things contributed to the Chittagong Hill Tribes's problems:

(1) The prominant one is about Kaptai dam, built during Pakistan period. In reacting to this the tribals legitimately showed histaria but enthusiast foreign inspiration especially from Juric Univesity helped the Chakma tribal leadership to hijak the issue by the more marxist elements of the Chakma groups.

The Chakma leadership romantacized the problem and took the issue as a matter of class struggle and recommended to its tribal followers (a)to fight for the independence of Chittagong Hill Tracts (b)lived by 50% tribals and 45%Bengalis. On top of this lack of reality check, written records show (c)all these tribes took shelter in Chittagong Hill Tracts to escape Burmease invasion of Arakan. The last one, the Rakhines took shelter in 1784. (d)The total Tribal population is even less than a million.

(2)Rmanticizing with the independence idea created fear among Bangladeshi people.

Further romanticizing continues today by almost every tribal groups, even small tribes as the Tanchangyas (2000 families) to change their name to Tanga (Burmese), and adapt Burmese script as their written language.

(3)India took advantage of the alienation and helped arming the tribals.

(4) To its effect now there is the loss of trust between Bengalis and the Tribals.

Tribals instead of romancing with the wrong idea of Marxism, should learn the majority language and compete with Bengalis and enjoy the freedom given to everybody as being Bangladeshi. Such freedom is missing in the military ruled Burma and in the so-called secular Indian north East where groups like Mizoos, Asamese demanding independence are being massacred by droping bombs from the shy.

It is too bad that the Chakma marxist leadership made more steps backward for all the tribes to now make the tribals in general suffer.

AUGUST 18, 2008 11:12 PM

Peter N. Jones said...

Thanks for the contribution Abid. I've hotlinked it because it is really very informative.

Issues of Dispute and Contemporary Problems in Chittagong Hill District.

As it points out, the issues are much more complicated then many realize, and the biggest problem has been the lack of inclusion of indigenous concerns and voices.
_______________

Endnotes

(1) Alamgir Serajuddin, Asiatic Society Bangladesh, Vol. xxx (1), June, 1986.

(2) Abid Bahar, “Dynamics of Ethnic Relations in Burmese Society:A Case Study of Interethnic Relations between the Burmese and the Rohingyas,�An Unpublished M.A. thesis, University of Windsor, Canada, 1981

(3) Chris Lewa, Issues to be Raised Concerning the Situation of Rohingya Children in Muanmar(Burma) Form- Asia, Nov. 2003.

(4) Mohammad Ashraf Alam, A Short Historical Background of Arakan, Arakan Research Society, Chittagong, Bangladesh, October 2006, http://www.rohingya.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=30

Also see Muhammad Enanmul Haq and Abdul Karim Shahitya Visharad’s work “Bengali Literature in the Court of Arakan 1600-1700.�

(5)Francis Buchanan, “A Comparative Vocabulary of Some of the Languages Spoken in the Burma Empire." Pp.40-57; Also “Francis Buchanon in South East Bengal (1798) His journey to Chittagong, the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Noakhali and Comilla.� Also in Michael Charney, “Buddhism in Araka: Theories of Historiography of the Religious Basis of Ethnonyms� in the Forgotten Kingdom of Arakan from Dhanyawadi to 1962.

(5) Ibid, 1992, 79

(6 ) Harvey, 1947, 161; A Short historical background of Arakan, Internet site: http://www.rohingyatimes.i p.com/ history/history_maa.html, also see N. M. Habibullah,History of the Rohingyas,Bangladesh Co-operative book society Limited, 1995; De Barros. J. 1973. Da Asia: decadas III & IV. Lisboa: S. Carlos., Habibullah, A.B.M. 1945. ‘Arakan in the Pre-Mughal History of Bengal’ Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (Letters 11).

(7) Cited in M. Habibullah, History of the Rohingyas, Bangladesh, 1995, p. 27.M.S. Collins also cited in the book; see Abdul Haque Chawdhury, Chattagramer Ittihas Prosongo, (the old Society and Culture of Chittagong), part 11, 1975, p2., 16.

(8 ) Harvey, 1947, p.181;

(9) Charney, 1999, p.279

(10) Furnivall, 1957:29.

(11) Aye Chan, Enclave, 2005; Also see abid Bahar, “Aye Chan’s Enclave Revisited,� 2007.

(12) Rohingya Outcry

(13) Moshe Yegar, The Muslims of Burma� A Study of a Minority Group, Otto Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden Moshe Yoger, 1972:67

(14) Mohammad Ashraf Alam, A Short Historical Background of Arakan

(15) Aye Chan, 2005.

(16) Moshe Yoger, 1972, p98.

(17) Pakistan Times, August 26, 1959.

(18) Pakistan Times 27th August 1959

(19) 1960 The Daily Guardian, Rangoon, 27th October 1960.

(20) Abid Bahar, Tagore's Paradigm Exposed in "Dalia", June 03 2008, http://groups.google.com.vn/group/soc.culture.bengali/msg/80428f57a0e9a903,

(21) Rohingya Outcry and Demands, Rohingya Patriotic Front (RPF), Arakan (Burma), 1976,.

(22) Abid Bahar, Dynamics of Ethnic Relations in Burmese Society:A Case Study of Interethnic Relations between the Burmese and the Rohingyas,An Unpublished M.A. thesis, University of Windsor, Canada, 1981

(23) Ibid

(24) Habib Siddiqui, What is Happening in Burma? http://www.albalagh.net/current_affairs/0090.shtml

(25) U Khin Maung Saw,The Origins of the name “Rohingya� 06, 11, 2005 ; Sara Smith Faked History, Burma Digest, 28, 11, 2005.

(26) Aye Chan, The Development of a Muslim Enclave in Arakan (Rakhine) State of Burma (Myanmar)" in U Shw Zan and Aye Chan's Influx Viruses, The Illegal Muslims in Arakan, ((New York, Arakanese in United States, Planetarium Station 2005), 14-33. The book was published in the United States. It was also published on line website.http://www.rakhapura.com, 2005, accessed on November 20, 2005.

(27) Banglanari, Yahoo group, January, 19, 2006, fight4rightnow@y... banglarnari@yahoogroups.com,
--------------------------------
( This article was originally published as Burmese Invasion of Arakan and the Rise of Non-Bengali Settlements in Chittagong of Bangladesh, February 15 2006. It was was also published in the author's book, Burma's Missing Dots, chapter 6, Flapwing Publishers, 2009. A post script on contemporary developments is also added with the present article)

Abid Bahar, Canada
E MIal :
abidbahar@yahoo.com
 



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[ALOCHONA] FW: Remembering the victims of Sri Lankan war




 


To:
From: sansad@sansad.org
Date: Mon, 17 May 2010 22:40:40 -0700
Subject: Remembering the victims of Sri Lankan war

 
SANSAD News Release: May 17, 2010

Remembering the victims of Sri Lankan war


One   year ago the civil war in Sri Lanka, which began in 1975, came to a tragic end when over 20,000 innocent civilians were massacred by the Sri Lankan army on the pretext of liberating them from Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam (LTTE). The United Nations and the international community turned a deaf ear to the plea of these civilians. The UN failed to exercise its responsibility to protect civilians. The Commonwealth countries did nothing to stop the killings, either, though Sri Lanka is a member of the Commonwealth nations. Though the UN estimated that there are over 7000 killed, 13000 wounded and over 300,000 displaced, sources from Northern Sri Lanka indicate that the figures could be much higher.

The Sri Lankan government never permitted any international organization such as International Red Cross, Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch to visit the war-ravaged areas or the camps set up by the government. These camps are without adequate sanitation, drinking water, and medical facilities. They do not have any schools.


A year has passed since the war ended. But the civilians who were displaced are still languishing inside the heavily fortified camps. The latest information points out that the houses owned by the civilians have been all damaged and whatever remained have been looted with the full knowledge of the Sri Lankan security forces. The army has established big camps for themselves including convenient stores. But schools and hospitals that had to be repaired have been neglected.


Further, after a year following the end of hostilities, a very large number of combatants are still kept in prison or in high security camps. There are reports that these prisoners are subjected to assault and torture.


We appeal to the Government of Canada and the international community to show leadership and initiate action to:


(1)       Investigate the genocide that took place during the last days of the war;
(2)    Enable all those who are detained in the camps to return to their homes; and
(3) Bring about the release all the political prisoners unconditionally with immediate effect.


We urge the UN and the international NGOs to help settle the displaced civilians in their respective areas.




South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD)
# 435-552A Clark Road, Coquitlam, BC;
sansad@sansad.org




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Re: [ALOCHONA] A History of CIA Atrocities



 
 
What about CIA activities from 1994 to the present?
 
 

 
 
-------Original Message-------
 
From: Isha Khan
Date: 5/18/2010 1:12:00 AM
Subject: [ALOCHONA] A History of CIA Atrocities
 
A History of CIA Atrocities
http://www.bushstole04.com/fakewar/cia_history.htm

The following timeline describes just a few of the hundreds of atrocities and crimes committed by the CIA. (1)

CIA operations follow the same recurring script. First, American business interests abroad are threatened by a popular or democratically elected leader. The people support their leader because he intends to conduct land reform, strengthen unions, redistribute wealth, nationalize foreign-owned industry, and regulate business to protect workers, consumers and the environment. So, on behalf of American business, and often with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition. First it identifies right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a deal: "We'll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for us." The Agency then hires, trains and works with them to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy). It uses every trick in the book: propaganda, stuffed ballot boxes, purchased elections, extortion, blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents in the local media, infiltration and disruption of opposing political parties, kidnapping, beating, torture, intimidation, economic sabotage, death squads and even assassination. These efforts culminate in a military coup, which installs a right-wing dictator. The CIA trains the dictator's security apparatus to crack down on the traditional enemies of big business, using interrogation, torture and murder. The victims are said to be "communists," but almost always they are just peasants, liberals, moderates, labor union leaders, political opponents and advocates of free speech and democracy. Widespread human rights abuses follow.

This scenario has been repeated so many times that the CIA actually teaches it in a special school, the notorious "School of the Americas." (It opened in Panama but later moved to Fort Benning, Georgia.) Critics have nicknamed it the "School of the Dictators" and "School of the Assassins." Here, the CIA trains Latin American military officers how to conduct coups, including the use of interrogation, torture and murder.

The Association for Responsible Dissent estimates that by 1987, 6 million people had died as a result of CIA covert operations. (2) Former State Department official William Blum correctly calls this an "American Holocaust."

The CIA justifies these actions as part of its war against communism. But most coups do not involve a communist threat. Unlucky nations are targeted for a wide variety of reasons: not only threats to American business interests abroad, but also liberal or even moderate social reforms, political instability, the unwillingness of a leader to carry out Washington's dictates, and declarations of neutrality in the Cold War. Indeed, nothing has infuriated CIA Directors quite like a nation's desire to stay out of the Cold War.

The ironic thing about all this intervention is that it frequently fails to achieve American objectives. Often the newly installed dictator grows comfortable with the security apparatus the CIA has built for him. He becomes an expert at running a police state. And because the dictator knows he cannot be overthrown, he becomes independent and defiant of Washington's will. The CIA then finds it cannot overthrow him, because the police and military are under the dictator's control, afraid to cooperate with American spies for fear of torture and execution. The only two options for the U.S at this point are impotence or war. Examples of this "boomerang effect" include the Shah of Iran, General Noriega and Saddam Hussein. The boomerang effect also explains why the CIA has proven highly successful at overthrowing democracies, but a wretched failure at overthrowing dictatorships.

The following timeline should confirm that the CIA as we know it should be abolished and replaced by a true information-gathering and analysis organization. The CIA cannot be reformed — it is institutionally and culturally corrupt.

1929

The culture we lost — Secretary of State Henry Stimson refuses to endorse a code-breaking operation, saying, "Gentlemen do not read each other's mail."

1941

COI created — In preparation for World War II, President Roosevelt creates the Office of Coordinator of Information (COI). General William "Wild Bill" Donovan heads the new intelligence service.

1942

OSS created — Roosevelt restructures COI into something more suitable for covert action, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). Donovan recruits so many of the nation's rich and powerful that eventually people joke that "OSS" stands for "Oh, so social!" or "Oh, such snobs!"

1943

Italy — Donovan recruits the Catholic Church in Rome to be the center of Anglo-American spy operations in Fascist Italy. This would prove to be one of America's most enduring intelligence alliances in the Cold War.

1945

OSS is abolished — The remaining American information agencies cease covert actions and return to harmless information gathering and analysis.

Operation PAPERCLIP – While other American agencies are hunting down Nazi war criminals for arrest, the U.S. intelligence community is smuggling them into America, unpunished, for their use against the Soviets. The most important of these is Reinhard Gehlen, Hitler's master spy who had built up an intelligence network in the Soviet Union. With full U.S. blessing, he creates the "Gehlen Organization," a band of refugee Nazi spies who reactivate their networks in Russia. These include SS intelligence officers Alfred Six and Emil Augsburg (who massacred Jews in the Holocaust), Klaus Barbie (the "Butcher of Lyon"), Otto von Bolschwing (the Holocaust mastermind who worked with Eichmann) and SS Colonel Otto Skorzeny (a personal friend of Hitler's). The Gehlen Organization supplies the U.S. with its only intelligence on the Soviet Union for the next ten years, serving as a bridge between the abolishment of the OSS and the creation of the CIA. However, much of the "intelligence" the former Nazis provide is bogus. Gehlen inflates Soviet military capabilities at a time when Russia is still rebuilding its devastated society, in order to inflate his own importance to the Americans (who might otherwise punish him). In 1948, Gehlen almost convinces the Americans that war is imminent, and the West should make a preemptive strike. In the 50s he produces a fictitious "missile gap." To make matters worse, the Russians have thoroughly penetrated the Gehlen Organization with double agents, undermining the very American security that Gehlen was supposed to protect.

1947

Greece — President Truman requests military aid to Greece to support right-wing forces fighting communist rebels. For the rest of the Cold War, Washington and the CIA will back notorious Greek leaders with deplorable human rights records.

CIA created — President Truman signs the National Security Act of 1947, creating the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council. The CIA is accountable to the president through the NSC — there is no democratic or congressional oversight. Its charter allows the CIA to "perform such other functions and duties… as the National Security Council may from time to time direct." This loophole opens the door to covert action and dirty tricks.

1948

Covert-action wing created — The CIA recreates a covert action wing, innocuously called the Office of Policy Coordination, led by Wall Street lawyer Frank Wisner. According to its secret charter, its responsibilities include "propaganda, economic warfare, preventive direct action, including sabotage, antisabotage, demolition and evacuation procedures; subversion against hostile states, including assistance to underground resistance groups, and support of indigenous anti-communist elements in threatened countries of the free world."

Italy — The CIA corrupts democratic elections in Italy, where Italian communists threaten to win the elections. The CIA buys votes, broadcasts propaganda, threatens and beats up opposition leaders, and infiltrates and disrupts their organizations. It works -- the communists are defeated.

1949

Radio Free Europe — The CIA creates its first major propaganda outlet, Radio Free Europe. Over the next several decades, its broadcasts are so blatantly false that for a time it is considered illegal to publish transcripts of them in the U.S.

Late 40s

Operation MOCKINGBIRD — The CIA begins recruiting American news organizations and journalists to become spies and disseminators of propaganda. The effort is headed by Frank Wisner, Allan Dulles, Richard Helms and Philip Graham. Graham is publisher of The Washington Post, which becomes a major CIA player. Eventually, the CIA's media assets will include ABC, NBC, CBS, Time, Newsweek, Associated Press, United Press International, Reuters, Hearst Newspapers, Scripps-Howard, Copley News Service and more. By the CIA's own admission, at least 25 organizations and 400 journalists will become CIA assets.

1953

Iran – CIA overthrows the democratically elected Mohammed Mossadegh in a military coup, after he threatened to nationalize British oil. The CIA replaces him with a dictator, the Shah of Iran, whose secret police, SAVAK, is as brutal as the Gestapo.

Operation MK-ULTRA — Inspired by North Korea's brainwashing program, the CIA begins experiments on mind control. The most notorious part of this project involves giving LSD and other drugs to American subjects without their knowledge or against their will, causing several to commit suicide. However, the operation involves far more than this. Funded in part by the Rockefeller and Ford foundations, research includes propaganda, brainwashing, public relations, advertising, hypnosis, and other forms of suggestion.

1954

Guatemala — CIA overthrows the democratically elected Jacob Arbenz in a military coup. Arbenz has threatened to nationalize the Rockefeller-owned United Fruit Company, in which CIA Director Allen Dulles also owns stock. Arbenz is replaced with a series of right-wing dictators whose bloodthirsty policies will kill over 100,000 Guatemalans in the next 40 years.

1954-1958

North Vietnam — CIA officer Edward Lansdale spends four years trying to overthrow the communist government of North Vietnam, using all the usual dirty tricks. The CIA also attempts to legitimize a tyrannical puppet regime in South Vietnam, headed by Ngo Dinh Diem. These efforts fail to win the hearts and minds of the South Vietnamese because the Diem government is opposed to true democracy, land reform and poverty reduction measures. The CIA's continuing failure results in escalating American intervention, culminating in the Vietnam War.

1956

Hungary — Radio Free Europe incites Hungary to revolt by broadcasting Khruschev's Secret Speech, in which he denounced Stalin. It also hints that American aid will help the Hungarians fight. This aid fails to materialize as Hungarians launch a doomed armed revolt, which only invites a major Soviet invasion. The conflict kills 7,000 Soviets and 30,000 Hungarians.

1957-1973

Laos — The CIA carries out approximately one coup per year trying to nullify Laos' democratic elections. The problem is the Pathet Lao, a leftist group with enough popular support to be a member of any coalition government. In the late 50s, the CIA even creates an "Armee Clandestine" of Asian mercenaries to attack the Pathet Lao. After the CIA's army suffers numerous defeats, the U.S. starts bombing, dropping more bombs on Laos than all the U.S. bombs dropped in World War II. A quarter of all Laotians will eventually become refugees, many living in caves.

1959

Haiti — The U.S. military helps "Papa Doc" Duvalier become dictator of Haiti. He creates his own private police force, the "Tonton Macoutes," who terrorize the population with machetes. They will kill over 100,000 during the Duvalier family reign. The U.S. does not protest their dismal human rights record.

1961

The Bay of Pigs — The CIA sends 1,500 Cuban exiles to invade Castro's Cuba. But "Operation Mongoose" fails, due to poor planning, security and backing. The planners had imagined that the invasion will spark a popular uprising against Castro -– which never happens. A promised American air strike also never occurs. This is the CIA's first public setback, causing President Kennedy to fire CIA Director Allen Dulles.

Dominican Republic — The CIA assassinates Rafael Trujillo, a murderous dictator Washington has supported since 1930. Trujillo's business interests have grown so large (about 60 percent of the economy) that they have begun competing with American business interests.

Ecuador — The CIA-backed military forces the democratically elected President Jose Velasco to resign. Vice President Carlos Arosemana replaces him; the CIA fills the now vacant vice presidency with its own man.

Congo (Zaire) — The CIA assassinates the democratically elected Patrice Lumumba. However, public support for Lumumba's politics runs so high that the CIA cannot clearly install his opponents in power. Four years of political turmoil follow.

1963

Dominican Republic — The CIA overthrows the democratically elected Juan Bosch in a military coup. The CIA installs a repressive, right-wing junta.

Ecuador — A CIA-backed military coup overthrows President Arosemana, whose independent (not socialist) policies have become unacceptable to Washington. A military junta assumes command, cancels the 1964 elections, and begins abusing human rights.

1964

Brazil — A CIA-backed military coup overthrows the democratically elected government of Joao Goulart. The junta that replaces it will, in the next two decades, become one of the most bloodthirsty in history. General Castelo Branco will create Latin America's first death squads, or bands of secret police who hunt down "communists" for torture, interrogation and murder. Often these "communists" are no more than Branco's political opponents. Later it is revealed that the CIA trains the death squads.

1965

Indonesia — The CIA overthrows the democratically elected Sukarno with a military coup. The CIA has been trying to eliminate Sukarno since 1957, using everything from attempted assassination to sexual intrigue, for nothing more than his declaring neutrality in the Cold War. His successor, General Suharto, will massacre between 500,000 to 1 million civilians accused of being "communist." The CIA supplies the names of countless suspects.

Dominican Republic — A popular rebellion breaks out, promising to reinstall Juan Bosch as the country's elected leader. The revolution is crushed when U.S. Marines land to uphold the military regime by force. The CIA directs everything behind the scenes.

Greece — With the CIA's backing, the king removes George Papandreous as prime minister. Papandreous has failed to vigorously support U.S. interests in Greece.

Congo (Zaire) — A CIA-backed military coup installs Mobutu Sese Seko as dictator. The hated and repressive Mobutu exploits his desperately poor country for billions.

1966 The Ramparts Affair — The radical magazine Ramparts begins a series of unprecedented anti-CIA articles. Among their scoops: the CIA has paid the University of Michigan $25 million dollars to hire "professors" to train South Vietnamese students in covert police methods. MIT and other universities have received similar payments. Ramparts also reveals that the National Students' Association is a CIA front. Students are sometimes recruited through blackmail and bribery, including draft deferments.

1967

Greece — A CIA-backed military coup overthrows the government two days before the elections. The favorite to win was George Papandreous, the liberal candidate. During the next six years, the "reign of the colonels" — backed by the CIA — will usher in the widespread use of torture and murder against political opponents. When a Greek ambassador objects to President Johnson about U.S. plans for Cypress, Johnson tells him: "Fuck your parliament and your constitution."

Operation PHEONIX — The CIA helps South Vietnamese agents identify and then murder alleged Viet Cong leaders operating in South Vietnamese villages. According to a 1971 congressional report, this operation killed about 20,000 "Viet Cong."

1968

Operation CHAOS — The CIA has been illegally spying on American citizens since 1959, but with Operation CHAOS, President Johnson dramatically boosts the effort. CIA agents go undercover as student radicals to spy on and disrupt campus organizations protesting the Vietnam War. They are searching for Russian instigators, which they never find. CHAOS will eventually spy on 7,000 individuals and 1,000 organizations.

Bolivia — A CIA-organized military operation captures legendary guerilla Che Guevara. The CIA wants to keep him alive for interrogation, but the Bolivian government executes him to prevent worldwide calls for clemency.

1969

Uruguay — The notorious CIA torturer Dan Mitrione arrives in Uruguay, a country torn with political strife. Whereas right-wing forces previously used torture only as a last resort, Mitrione convinces them to use it as a routine, widespread practice. "The precise pain, in the precise place, in the precise amount, for the desired effect," is his motto. The torture techniques he teaches to the death squads rival the Nazis'. He eventually becomes so feared that revolutionaries will kidnap and murder him a year later.

1970

Cambodia — The CIA overthrows Prince Sahounek, who is highly popular among Cambodians for keeping them out of the Vietnam War. He is replaced by CIA puppet Lon Nol, who immediately throws Cambodian troops into battle. This unpopular move strengthens once minor opposition parties like the Khmer Rouge, which achieves power in 1975 and massacres millions of its own people.

1971

Bolivia — After half a decade of CIA-inspired political turmoil, a CIA-backed military coup overthrows the leftist President Juan Torres. In the next two years, dictator Hugo Banzer will have over 2,000 political opponents arrested without trial, then tortured, raped and executed.

Haiti — "Papa Doc" Duvalier dies, leaving his 19-year old son "Baby Doc" Duvalier the dictator of Haiti. His son continues his bloody reign with full knowledge of the CIA.

1972

The Case-Zablocki Act — Congress passes an act requiring congressional review of executive agreements. In theory, this should make CIA operations more accountable. In fact, it is only marginally effective.

Cambodia — Congress votes to cut off CIA funds for its secret war in Cambodia.

Wagergate Break-in — President Nixon sends in a team of burglars to wiretap Democratic offices at Watergate. The team members have extensive CIA histories, including James McCord, E. Howard Hunt and five of the Cuban burglars. They work for the Committee to Reelect the President (CREEP), which does dirty work like disrupting Democratic campaigns and laundering Nixon's illegal campaign contributions. CREEP's activities are funded and organized by another CIA front, the Mullen Company.

1973

Chile — The CIA overthrows and assassinates Salvador Allende, Latin America's first democratically elected socialist leader. The problems begin when Allende nationalizes American-owned firms in Chile. ITT offers the CIA $1 million for a coup (reportedly refused). The CIA replaces Allende with General Augusto Pinochet, who will torture and murder thousands of his own countrymen in a crackdown on labor leaders and the political left.

CIA begins internal investigations — William Colby, the Deputy Director for Operations, orders all CIA personnel to report any and all illegal activities they know about. This information is later reported to Congress.

Watergate Scandal — The CIA's main collaborating newspaper in America, The Washington Post, reports Nixon's crimes long before any other newspaper takes up the subject. The two reporters, Woodward and Bernstein, make almost no mention of the CIA's many fingerprints all over the scandal. It is later revealed that Woodward was a Naval intelligence briefer to the White House, and knows many important intelligence figures, including General Alexander Haig. His main source, "Deep Throat," is probably one of those.

CIA Director Helms Fired — President Nixon fires CIA Director Richard Helms for failing to help cover up the Watergate scandal. Helms and Nixon have always disliked each other. The new CIA director is William Colby, who is relatively more open to CIA reform.

1974

CHAOS exposed — Pulitzer prize winning journalist Seymour Hersh publishes a story about Operation CHAOS, the domestic surveillance and infiltration of anti-war and civil rights groups in the U.S. The story sparks national outrage.

Angleton fired — Congress holds hearings on the illegal domestic spying efforts of James Jesus Angleton, the CIA's chief of counterintelligence. His efforts included mail-opening campaigns and secret surveillance of war protesters. The hearings result in his dismissal from the CIA.

House clears CIA in Watergate — The House of Representatives clears the CIA of any complicity in Nixon's Watergate break-in.

The Hughes Ryan Act — Congress passes an amendment requiring the president to report nonintelligence CIA operations to the relevant congressional committees in a timely fashion.

1975

Australia — The CIA helps topple the democratically elected, left-leaning government of Prime Minister Edward Whitlam. The CIA does this by giving an ultimatum to its Governor-General, John Kerr. Kerr, a longtime CIA collaborator, exercises his constitutional right to dissolve the Whitlam government. The Governor-General is a largely ceremonial position appointed by the Queen; the Prime Minister is democratically elected. The use of this archaic and never-used law stuns the nation.

Angola — Eager to demonstrate American military resolve after its defeat in Vietnam, Henry Kissinger launches a CIA-backed war in Angola. Contrary to Kissinger's assertions, Angola is a country of little strategic importance and not seriously threatened by communism. The CIA backs the brutal leader of UNITAS, Jonas Savimbi. This polarizes Angolan politics and drives his opponents into the arms of Cuba and the Soviet Union for survival. Congress will cut off funds in 1976, but the CIA is able to run the war off the books until 1984, when funding is legalized again. This entirely pointless war kills over 300,000 Angolans.

"The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence" — Victor Marchetti and John Marks publish this whistle-blowing history of CIA crimes and abuses. Marchetti has spent 14 years in the CIA, eventually becoming an executive assistant to the Deputy Director of Intelligence. Marks has spent five years as an intelligence official in the State Department.

"Inside the Company" — Philip Agee publishes a diary of his life inside the CIA. Agee has worked in covert operations in Latin America during the 60s, and details the crimes in which he took part.

Congress investigates CIA wrong-doing — Public outrage compels Congress to hold hearings on CIA crimes. Senator Frank Church heads the Senate investigation ("The Church Committee"), and Representative Otis Pike heads the House investigation. (Despite a 98 percent incumbency reelection rate, both Church and Pike are defeated in the next elections.) The investigations lead to a number of reforms intended to increase the CIA's accountability to Congress, including the creation of a standing Senate committee on intelligence. However, the reforms prove ineffective, as the Iran/Contra scandal will show. It turns out the CIA can control, deal with or sidestep Congress with ease.

The Rockefeller Commission — In an attempt to reduce the damage done by the Church Committee, President Ford creates the "Rockefeller Commission" to whitewash CIA history and propose toothless reforms. The commission's namesake, Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, is himself a major CIA figure. Five of the commission's eight members are also members of the Council on Foreign Relations, a CIA-dominated organization.

1979

Iran — The CIA fails to predict the fall of the Shah of Iran, a longtime CIA puppet, and the rise of Muslim fundamentalists who are furious at the CIA's backing of SAVAK, the Shah's bloodthirsty secret police. In revenge, the Muslims take 52 Americans hostage in the U.S. embassy in Tehran.

Afghanistan — The Soviets invade Afghanistan. The CIA immediately begins supplying arms to any faction willing to fight the occupying Soviets. Such indiscriminate arming means that when the Soviets leave Afghanistan, civil war will erupt. Also, fanatical Muslim extremists now possess state-of-the-art weaponry. One of these is Sheik Abdel Rahman, who will become involved in the World Trade Center bombing in New York.

El Salvador — An idealistic group of young military officers, repulsed by the massacre of the poor, overthrows the right-wing government. However, the U.S. compels the inexperienced officers to include many of the old guard in key positions in their new government. Soon, things are back to "normal" — the military government is repressing and killing poor civilian protesters. Many of the young military and civilian reformers, finding themselves powerless, resign in disgust.

Nicaragua — Anastasios Samoza II, the CIA-backed dictator, falls. The Marxist Sandinistas take over government, and they are initially popular because of their commitment to land and anti-poverty reform. Samoza had a murderous and hated personal army called the National Guard. Remnants of the Guard will become the Contras, who fight a CIA-backed guerilla war against the Sandinista government throughout the 1980s.

1980

El Salvador — The Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, pleads with President Carter "Christian to Christian" to stop aiding the military government slaughtering his people. Carter refuses. Shortly afterwards, right-wing leader Roberto D'Aubuisson has Romero shot through the heart while saying Mass. The country soon dissolves into civil war, with the peasants in the hills fighting against the military government. The CIA and U.S. Armed Forces supply the government with overwhelming military and intelligence superiority. CIA-trained death squads roam the countryside, committing atrocities like that of El Mazote in 1982, where they massacre between 700 and 1000 men, women and children. By 1992, some 63,000 Salvadorans will be killed.

1981

Iran/Contra Begins — The CIA begins selling arms to Iran at high prices, using the profits to arm the Contras fighting the Sandinista government in Nicaragua. President Reagan vows that the Sandinistas will be "pressured" until "they say 'uncle.'" The CIA's Freedom Fighter's Manual disbursed to the Contras includes instruction on economic sabotage, propaganda, extortion, bribery, blackmail, interrogation, torture, murder and political assassination.

1983

Honduras — The CIA gives Honduran military officers the Human Resource Exploitation Training Manual – 1983, which teaches how to torture people. Honduras' notorious "Battalion 316" then uses these techniques, with the CIA's full knowledge, on thousands of leftist dissidents. At least 184 are murdered.

1984

The Boland Amendment — The last of a series of Boland Amendments is passed. These amendments have reduced CIA aid to the Contras; the last one cuts it off completely. However, CIA Director William Casey is already prepared to "hand off" the operation to Colonel Oliver North, who illegally continues supplying the Contras through the CIA's informal, secret, and self-financing network. This includes "humanitarian aid" donated by Adolph Coors and William Simon, and military aid funded by Iranian arms sales.

1986

Eugene Hasenfus — Nicaragua shoots down a C-123 transport plane carrying military supplies to the Contras. The lone survivor, Eugene Hasenfus, turns out to be a CIA employee, as are the two dead pilots. The airplane belongs to Southern Air Transport, a CIA front. The incident makes a mockery of President Reagan's claims that the CIA is not illegally arming the Contras.

Iran/Contra Scandal — Although the details have long been known, the Iran/Contra scandal finally captures the media's attention in 1986. Congress holds hearings, and several key figures (like Oliver North) lie under oath to protect the intelligence community. CIA Director William Casey dies of brain cancer before Congress can question him. All reforms enacted by Congress after the scandal are purely cosmetic.

Haiti — Rising popular revolt in Haiti means that "Baby Doc" Duvalier will remain "President for Life" only if he has a short one. The U.S., which hates instability in a puppet country, flies the despotic Duvalier to the South of France for a comfortable retirement. The CIA then rigs the upcoming elections in favor of another right-wing military strongman. However, violence keeps the country in political turmoil for another four years. The CIA tries to strengthen the military by creating the National Intelligence Service (SIN), which suppresses popular revolt through torture and assassination.

1989

Panama — The U.S. invades Panama to overthrow a dictator of its own making, General Manuel Noriega. Noriega has been on the CIA's payroll since 1966, and has been transporting drugs with the CIA's knowledge since 1972. By the late 80s, Noriega's growing independence and intransigence have angered Washington… so out he goes.

1990

Haiti — Competing against 10 comparatively wealthy candidates, leftist priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide captures 68 percent of the vote. After only eight months in power, however, the CIA-backed military deposes him. More military dictators brutalize the country, as thousands of Haitian refugees escape the turmoil in barely seaworthy boats. As popular opinion calls for Aristide's return, the CIA begins a disinformation campaign painting the courageous priest as mentally unstable.

1991

The Gulf War — The U.S. liberates Kuwait from Iraq. But Iraq's dictator, Saddam Hussein, is another creature of the CIA. With U.S. encouragement, Hussein invaded Iran in 1980. During this costly eight-year war, the CIA built up Hussein's forces with sophisticated arms, intelligence, training and financial backing. This cemented Hussein's power at home, allowing him to crush the many internal rebellions that erupted from time to time, sometimes with poison gas. It also gave him all the military might he needed to conduct further adventurism — in Kuwait, for example.

The Fall of the Soviet Union — The CIA fails to predict this most important event of the Cold War. This suggests that it has been so busy undermining governments that it hasn't been doing its primary job: gathering and analyzing information. The fall of the Soviet Union also robs the CIA of its reason for existence: fighting communism. This leads some to accuse the CIA of intentionally failing to predict the downfall of the Soviet Union. Curiously, the intelligence community's budget is not significantly reduced after the demise of communism.

1992

Economic Espionage — In the years following the end of the Cold War, the CIA is increasingly used for economic espionage. This involves stealing the technological secrets of competing foreign companies and giving them to American ones. Given the CIA's clear preference for dirty tricks over mere information gathering, the possibility of serious criminal behavior is very great indeed.

1993

Haiti — The chaos in Haiti grows so bad that President Clinton has no choice but to remove the Haitian military dictator, Raoul Cedras, on threat of U.S. invasion. The U.S. occupiers do not arrest Haiti's military leaders for crimes against humanity, but instead ensure their safety and rich retirements. Aristide is returned to power only after being forced to accept an agenda favorable to the country's ruling class.

EPILOGUE

In a speech before the CIA celebrating its 50th anniversary, President Clinton said: "By necessity, the American people will never know the full story of your courage."

Clinton's is a common defense of the CIA: namely, the American people should stop criticizing the CIA because they don't know what it really does. This, of course, is the heart of the problem in the first place. An agency that is above criticism is also above moral behavior and reform. Its secrecy and lack of accountability allows its corruption to grow unchecked.

Furthermore, Clinton's statement is simply untrue. The history of the agency is growing painfully clear, especially with the declassification of historical CIA documents. We may not know the details of specific operations, but we do know, quite well, the general behavior of the CIA. These facts began emerging nearly two decades ago at an ever-quickening pace. Today we have a remarkably accurate and consistent picture, repeated in country after country, and verified from countless different directions.

The CIA's response to this growing knowledge and criticism follows a typical historical pattern. (Indeed, there are remarkable parallels to the Medieval Church's fight against the Scientific Revolution.) The first journalists and writers to reveal the CIA's criminal behavior were harassed and censored if they were American writers, and tortured and murdered if they were foreigners. (See Philip Agee's On the Run for an example of early harassment.) However, over the last two decades the tide of evidence has become overwhelming, and the CIA has found that it does not have enough fingers to plug every hole in the dike. This is especially true in the age of the Internet, where information flows freely among millions of people. Since censorship is impossible, the Agency must now defend itself with apologetics. Clinton's "Americans will never know" defense is a prime example.

Another common apologetic is that "the world is filled with unsavory characters, and we must deal with them if we are to protect American interests at all." There are two things wrong with this. First, it ignores the fact that the CIA has regularly spurned alliances with defenders of democracy, free speech and human rights, preferring the company of military dictators and tyrants. The CIA had moral options available to them, but did not take them.

Second, this argument begs several questions. The first is: "Which American interests?" The CIA has courted right-wing dictators because they allow wealthy Americans to exploit the country's cheap labor and resources. But poor and middle-class Americans pay the price whenever they fight the wars that stem from CIA actions, from Vietnam to the Gulf War to Panama. The second begged question is: "Why should American interests come at the expense of other peoples' human rights?"

The CIA should be abolished, its leadership dismissed and its relevant members tried for crimes against humanity. Our intelligence community should be rebuilt from the ground up, with the goal of collecting and analyzing information. As for covert action, there are two moral options. The first one is to eliminate covert action completely. But this gives jitters to people worried about the Adolf Hitlers of the world. So a second option is that we can place covert action under extensive and true democratic oversight. For example, a bipartisan Congressional Committee of 40 members could review and veto all aspects of CIA operations upon a majority or super-majority vote. Which of these two options is best may be the subject of debate, but one thing is clear: like dictatorship, like monarchy, unaccountable covert operations should die like the dinosaurs they are.

Endnotes:

1. All history concerning CIA intervention in foreign countries is summarized from William Blum's encyclopedic work, Killing Hope: U.S. Military and CIA Interventions since World War II (Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press, 1995). Sources for domestic CIA operations come from Jonathan Vankin and John Whalen's The 60 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time (Secaucus, N.J.: Citadel Press, 1997).

2. Coleman McCarthy, "The Consequences of Covert Tactics" Washington Post, December 13, 1987.
http://www.bushstole04.com/fakewar/cia_history.htm
 
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