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Saturday, October 2, 2010

[ALOCHONA] India: Economic power house or poor house?



India: Economic power house or poor house?
 
Mary Albino

India's economic miracle is a perfect example of how appearances can be deceiving.

India is home to more poor people than any other country in the world.

India is home to more poor people than any other country in the world.

The dominant narrative on the country goes like this: as the fourth largest economy in the world, with a steady annual growth rate of close to 9 per cent, India is a rising economic superstar. Bangalore is the new Silicon Valley. Magazines such as Forbes and Vogue have launched Indian editions. The Mumbai skyline is decorated with posh hotels and international banks.

There are numbers to back up this narrative. The average Indian takes home $1,017 (U.S.) a year. Not much, but that's nearly double the average five years ago and triple the annual income at independence, in 1947. The business and technology sector has grown tenfold in the past decade. Manufacturing and agriculture are expanding, and trade levels are way up.

India is also on the up and up in terms of human well-being. Life expectancy and literacy are steadily rising, while child mortality continues to decline. The poverty rate is down to 42 per cent from 60 per cent in 1981. While 42 per cent still leaves a long way to go, India's situation seems rosy compared with that of, say, Malawi and Tanzania, which have poverty rates of 74 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively.

If we examine these statistics in real numbers, however, a different narrative emerges, one the Indian government likes less.

With a population as big as India's, 42 per cent means there are some 475 million Indians living on less than $1.25 per day. That's 10 times as many facing dire poverty as Malawi and Tanzania combined.

It means India is home to more poor people than any other country in the world.

To put it another way, one of every three people in the world living without basic necessities is an Indian national.

The real number is probably even larger. The recently launched Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), a more comprehensive measure of deprivation than the current "poverty line" of $1.25 per day, uses 10 markers of well-being, including education, health and standard of living. The MPI, developed by the Poverty & Human Development Initiative at Oxford University, puts the Indian poverty rate at 55 per cent. That's 645 million people — double the population of the United States and nearly 20 times the population of Canada.

By this measure, India's eight poorest states have more people living in poverty than Africa's 26 poorest nations.

A 10-year-old living in the slums of Calcutta, raising her 5-year-old brother on garbage and scraps, and dealing with tapeworms and the threat of cholera, suffers neither more nor less than a 10-year-old living in the same conditions in the slums of Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. But because the Indian girl lives in an "emerging economy," slated to battle it out with China for the position of global economic superpower, and her counterpart in Lilongwe lives in a country with few resources and a bleak future, the Indian child's predicament is perceived with relatively less urgency.

One is "poor" while the other represents a "declining poverty rate."

What's more, in India there are huge discrepancies in poverty from one state to the next. Madhya Pradesh, for example, is comparable in population and incidence of poverty to the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo. But the misery of the DRC is much better known than the misery of Madhya Pradesh, because sub-national regions do not appear on "poorest country" lists. If Madhya Pradesh were to seek independence from India, its dire situation would become more visible immediately.

As India demonstrates, having the largest number of poor people is not the same as being the poorest country. That's unfortunate, because being the poorest country has advantages. In the same way a tsunami or earthquake garners an intense outpouring of aid and support, being labelled "worst off" or "most poor" tends to draw a bigger share of international attention — and dollars.

When Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971, it was the poorest country in the world, so poor most economists were skeptical it would ever succeed on its own. But being labelled "dead last" worked in its favour: billions of dollars in aid money flooded in, and NGO and charity groups arrived in droves. The dominant narrative of Bangladesh at the time was of a war-ravaged, cyclone-battered and fledgling country on the brink of famine. That seemed to help rally the troops.

No doubt India's government wants the world to perceive the nation in terms of its potential and not its shortcomings. But because it's home to 1.1 billion people, India is more able than most to conceal the bad news behind the good, making its impressive growth rates the lead story rather than the fact that it is home to more of the world's poor than any other country.

Still, at least part of the blame should be placed on the way poverty is presented on the international stage. If the unit of deprivation is a human being, then the prevalence of poverty should be presented in numbers of lives. If we know precisely how many billionaires India has — 49 in 2010, double last year's number — than we should also know precisely how many people live without basic necessities.

Mary Albino has lived and worked in India and writes on economic issues.

http://www.thestar.com/article/869143--india-economic-power-house-or-poor-house



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[ALOCHONA] South Asia's Unheralded Stories



South Asia's Unheralded Stories
 
Robert O. Blake, Jr.
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs

I am delighted to be here at the San Diego World Affairs Council today to discuss with you U.S. policy in South Asia and to highlight some of the lesser-known success stories coming out of South Asia.  You know, I often say that a day spent outside of the Washington beltway, is a day well spent. Well, ladies and gentleman, a day spent outside of Washington AND spent in San Diego – now that is a day REALLY well spent. I love visiting this city! Thank you again for giving me this opportunity.

Most newspapers and foreign policy analysts not surprisingly focus on India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. That's appropriate. These three countries are among the highest strategic priorities of the Obama Administration as well. But there's so much going on in the other five countries of South Asia, and those "unheralded stories" will be the main focus of my remarks today.

But let me first say a few words about India.  In just a decade there has been a transformation in the way the United States views India. President Obama has called India our "indispensable" partner for the 21st century. India's strategic importance to the United States reflects several factors:

• First the center of gravity of US foreign policy has shifted from Europe to Asia.
• Second, within Asia no other country has the thriving democracy, economic promise, the sheer human capital and the growing record of cooperation with the United States that India has.
• Soon, India will be the world's most populous country and is projected to become the world's third largest economy in the year 2025.
• For over a decade, our relationship with India has been moving on a rapidly advancing trajectory, based on our converging values and interests.
• President Obama and Secretary Clinton have elevated our relations with India by establishing a Strategic Dialogue last year which convened for the first time in June, in Washington.

I foresee our great nations becoming ever closer in the years and decades to come. President Obama intends to make a landmark visit to India in November to help further grow the ties between our two knowledge societies, our economies, and our people. As Under Secretary of State William Burns recently noted, "Never has there been a moment when India and America mattered more to one another. And never has there been a moment when partnership between India and America mattered more to the rest of the globe."

The vitality of U.S./India relations is no more evident than here in San Diego. In addition to strong commerce and business connections, and a vibrant Indian American population, U.S./India defense cooperation also has local ties to the San Diego area. The close links between our two militaries, particularly the Navy-to-Navy relationship, are a remarkable feature of the larger Indo-U.S. defense relationship. India holds more military exercises with the U.S than any other country, including the annual MALABAR naval exercises. This year's week-long MALABAR exercise, which took place in April, saw participation by ships, submarines and aircraft from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. Admiral Willard, the head of Pacific Command, has made engagement with India a top priority. This, of course, has direct implications for Naval Base San Diego, the Pacific Fleet's principal home port.

India would be the first to say that its own successes should not overshadow important recent developments in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan that could have wide and positive ramifications for the region. I'd like to begin by speaking to you about Bangladesh's recent economic growth and social advances that have helped millions of people out of poverty. Second, I will discuss the recent end to the devastating civil wars in Sri Lanka and Nepal, which cost thousands of lives, and the significant opportunities that exist now for both countries to enter new eras of peace, reconciliation and prosperity. Finally, I will address the peaceful democratic transitions that have taken place in Maldives and Bhutan, which serve as regional models of cooperation and stability.

Let me begin with Bangladesh, a country of increasing regional stature and strategic importance to the United States. Though it is the size of Wisconsin, Bangladesh has a population of approximately 160 million people – more than Russia or Japan. Indeed, one in every fifty people on the planet is a Bangladeshi. Despite its impressive social and economic progress, the image of Bangladesh for most Americans remains frozen as a country facing desperate poverty.

While Bangladesh remains a poor country, it has made impressive progress since those dark early days after its independence in 1971. The United Nations last week held a Summit in New York to measure the progress developing countries are making to meet the Millennium Development goals by 2015. Bangladesh, and also Nepal, were among six countries honored this year for outstanding achievement in meeting Millennium Development targets.

Bangladesh has reduced child mortality by more than two-thirds, and is on track to meet their 2015 target well ahead of schedule. They have also been particularly successful at reducing the number of chronically food insecure people- from 40 to 27 million- and at reducing gender inequality in schools and in the labor force. Many of these successes have been achieved in part because of the $5 billion that the U.S. and the US Agency for International Development have invested in Bangladesh over the past four decades.

Steady economic growth over the last two decades has been another important factor in lifting millions of Bangladeshis out of poverty. Few people know that despite the global recession, the Bangladeshi economy has continued to maintain an economic growth rate of 5-6% per year for almost two decades. Bangladesh is now the world's third-largest exporter of ready-made garments – I'd be willing to bet that the clothes that a number of you are wearing today were made by some of the millions of Bangladeshi garment workers, the overwhelming majority of whom are women.

Indeed, with a female Prime Minister, opposition leader, Foreign Minister and Agriculture Minister, it should come as no surprise that women's empowerment and girl's education rank high on the nation's list of priorities. The country recently dispatched to Haiti its first all-female police unit of UN peacekeepers, only the second country to have such a unit. The 160-woman contingent is assisting victims of sexual violence in earthquake-devastated Haiti, and is one small part of the more than 10,000 Bangladeshi peacekeepers who serve in ten UN peacekeeping missions worldwide – more than any other UN member state.

Today, Bangladesh is a secular democracy, with a vibrant civil society, and a history of religious and ethnic tolerance. The national elections that brought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to power in January 2009 were hailed as the freest and fairest in the nation's history. Just as encouraging, her government has made improved relations with its neighbors, particularly India, a high priority. Her government has also taken a strong stand against terrorism, arresting and capturing key leaders of a number of small extremist groups, including the JMB, which masterminded a series of co-ordinated bomb blasts throughout the country in 2005.

Bangladesh also can be proud of its vibrant civil society, which has produced such outstanding global citizens as Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus, whose Grameen Bank was a pioneer of the concept of "microcredit", providing small loans to tens of millions of Bangladeshis, especially women, who possess little or no collateral. Another proud son of Bangladesh, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founded the world's largest non-governmental organization – BRAC – which employs more than 100,000 people, operates schools, provides basic health care and offers microcredit to the poor. Like Grameen Bank, BRAC has expanded its operations far outside the boundaries of Bangladesh, most notably in the form of a robust aid presence in war-torn Afghanistan, operating over 2,000 schools and providing loans to more than 100,000 households. More recently, grass-roots organizations like the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Council have worked to get college students from diverse backgrounds to work together to improve the lives of the country's desperately poor.

Bangladesh's significant diaspora, like those from other South Asian countries, has also made substantial contributions to the country's developments. Members of the Bangladeshi diaspora in the United States send home over $1.5 billion a year. Just as significantly, increasing numbers of Bangladeshis who have lived and studied abroad are returning home to invest, share knowledge, and build bridges between our two countries. Moreover, Bangladesh is grappling and cooperating with the U.S. on some of the great issues of our time, including food security, global health, and climate change, which will have implications far beyond its borders.

Turning to Sri Lanka, the news is more mixed, but the future holds promise. In May 2009, the Sri Lankan government achieved a milestone few thought possible, by defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, one of the world's most deadly terrorist organizations, ending nearly three decades of conflict that had cost tens of thousands of lives.

Sri Lanka is a country to which I feel a special attachment. I served as Ambassador there for three years from 2006 to 2009 and witnessed the resumption and end of the conflict. I have returned to Sri Lanka several times since the end of the war and observed a renewed sense of purpose among its people.

The end of Sri Lanka's conflict has brought impressive dividends. Sri Lanka's stock market has risen an astounding 150 percent in the last 15 months, the highest performing stock market in Asia. But economic dividends will not by themselves heal the wounds of war and secure lasting peace and prosperity for Sri Lanka. A range of humanitarian, political and other steps must be taken to ensure the Tamils of Sri Lanka a future of hope, opportunity and dignity.

On the humanitarian front, most of the three hundred thousand Tamils who had been displaced by the fighting in the North have been permitted to leave temporary camps and begin to reestablish their lives. The United States has been a leader in providing $89 million in food and other humanitarian aid for the internally displaced and additional assistance for demining so the IDPs can return to their villages and homes. We also have provided $25 million to catalyze new private sector partnerships and agricultural development to provide livelihood opportunities for the inhabitants of the North. It will now be important for the Government to work with the Tamil community to organize local and Provincial Council elections as soon as possible so that a new, freely elected indigenous leadership can emerge in the North for the first time in almost thirty years.

Finally, to ensure lasting reconciliation, Sri Lanka must investigate and ensure justice for the war crimes and serious violations of international humanitarian law that human rights and other groups allege occurred in the final stages of the conflict. The Government has established a Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission that is now holding hearings on these matters. The U.S. has welcomed this commission, and expressed our hope that it will probe violations of international humanitarian law, identify those responsible and make appropriate public recommendations. Having defeated one of the most murderous terrorist groups in the world, President Rajapaksa now has an historic opportunity to build a tolerant, multi-ethnic democracy in Sri Lanka that will bring lasting peace and unprecedented prosperity.

Let me turn now to Nepal, another country that has recently seen the end of a long conflict. Nepal's decade-long conflict between the Maoists and the Government caused the deaths of more than 13,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. The conflict ended in 2006 with a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the Maoist insurgents.

Since 2006, progress on peace process has proceeded in fits and starts. After several postponements – postponements that foreshadowed the delays we have seen at every step of the peace process since – elections were held in April 2008. Those elections resulted in the ending of Nepal's more than two-century- old monarchy and the creation of a Constituent Assembly tasked with the drafting of a new constitution. From that promising beginning, however, relatively limited progress has been made.

The two most difficult issues that were agreed in principle – but not in detail – under the 2006 Peace Agreement are the integration of the former Maoist combatants into Nepal's security forces and the devolution of power to the local level. The inability of the parties to resolve these issues translated into a failure to meet the May 28, 2010 deadline to complete the constitution. Instead, the Nepal's political Parties agreed to a one-year extension of the deadline.

Since June, Nepal's three main Parties have fruitlessly vied to lead the next government, although we remain hopeful that a new government will be formed soon. In recent days, we have seen progress on the peace process, including a key agreement between the Government and the Maoists to move ahead on the long-stalled integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants. We are encouraged by this positive step and hope the Parties will take advantage of this opportunity to close the camps housing the former Maoist combatants once and for all.

Despite the difficulties among the parties and the slow pace of implementation of the peace process, there has not been a return to violence. The former Maoist combatants are now a political party who repeatedly state their commitment to the political process. However you cut it, sorting out disputes in the political arena rather than on the battlefield is progress.

For all its current political turmoil, Nepal has in many ways been a remarkable global citizen. For example, Nepal has hosted over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees for almost two decades. Following 15 rounds of unsuccessful negotiations between Nepal and Bhutan over the repatriation of the refugees, the U.S. and seven other countries have offered resettlement to interested and qualified refugees. To date, more than 35,000 have been resettled, with 30,000 resettled in the United States. Nepal has also offered safe haven to a sizable population of Tibetan refugees and facilitated the safe passage of new Tibetan arrivals to India.

Nepali peacekeepers have long helped make the world safer through their active involvement in UN peacekeeping missions, ranking sixth in the world in troop contributions despite a population of fewer than 30 million people. Also, despite limited resources with which to address a very serious problem, Nepal's government has devoted significant funds and developed meaningful programs to combat human trafficking in the country.

Another area in which Nepal has excelled is in the remarkable growth in the freedom and vitality of its press. Over the past two decades, Nepal's media has blossomed both in numbers and vibrancy. There are today literally hundreds of newspapers and magazines published in Nepali, English and several local languages as well as nearly 200 radio and some two dozen television stations. As a key member of Nepal's evolving civil society the free media increasingly helps shape public debate and strengthens democratic institutions.

Despite overwhelming odds and continued political instability, Nepal has made strong strides on the development front, as well. In fact, Nepal is one of only a few countries that won international praise for its progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals in health. Nepal brought down the number of pregnancy related deaths from 538 per 100,000 in 1996 to 281 per 100,000 in 2006, and for reducing child mortality from 118 per 1000 to 61 per 1000. All of these trends augur well for a brighter future in Nepal, particularly if its leaders can set aside their differences, and complete the peace process.

Moving from one Himalayan country to another, Bhutan is one of the brighter, if smaller, stars in the South Asian constellation. Bhutan is perhaps best known internationally for its attention to "Gross National Happiness" rather than its gross national product. Bhutan, under the leadership of its fourth king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, emphasized balanced, sustainable development, modern education, decentralization of governance, the development of hydroelectricity and high-end low-impact tourism that preserves Bhutan's traditional culture.

Bhutan has recently stated that they view the tragic and devastating floods in Pakistan as indicative of the cost of climate change adaption -- particularly worrisome for mountainous countries -- and as a result will host a "Mountain Country Summit" for the eastern Himalaya countries of Nepal, India, and Bhutan. We welcome this type of leadership by Bhutan.

In 2006, Bhutan's fourth king abdicated in favor of his son, who then significantly increased the pace of democratization. Bhutan's first open parliamentary elections were held in 2007 and 2008 and a new constitution was ratified in July 2008. The new constitution, at the former King's urging, included a provision giving the National Assembly power to impeach the king and completed Bhutan's peaceful and successful transition to a constitutional monarchy. Bhutan showcased the economic and political progress it has made by hosting for the first time this year's the summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Another small but important South Asian democratic success story has been the island nation of Maldives, in the Indian Ocean. In just one generation, Maldives went from having South Asia's lowest to its highest per-capita income, on the strength of its tourism boom. But democratic progress lagged through much of that boom.

To his credit, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who had been in power for thirty years, announced plans in 2004 to draft a new constitution and hold the nation's first democratic elections in 2008. In those elections, former political prisoner Mohamed Nasheed defeated Gayoom, leading to the first peaceful and constitutional transition of power in Maldives history.

As with many young democracies, the transition to a functioning system of checks and balances between the branches of government has provided some challenges, particularly since the opposition won control of the Maldivian Parliament. Moving forward, it will be important for President Nasheed and the opposition-controlled legislature to work together to address the issues that face their fledgling democracy.

Like Nepal, Maldives has become a responsible global citizen that punches far above its weight. President Nasheed has become one of the world's leading climate change advocates. His country is a moderate Muslim country that has established diplomatic relations with Israel and recognized Kosovo. And it is working with the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to stabilize its economy and move forward with privatization.

The recent histories of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives show that they are joining India in consolidating democracy and contributing to the peace and security of the larger world. They may seem small, but they understand the need to think big. Each in their own way is contributing to the growth of South Asia and the growing importance that the United States attaches to cooperation with South Asia.



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[ALOCHONA] CJ’s interpretation can't be part of Constution: AL, BNP Amendment preserve of JS



CJ's interpretation can't be part of Constution: AL, BNP Amendment preserve of JS


Both the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP have disagreed with the newly appointed Chief Justice's recent remark and asserted that only parliament has the exclusive authority to amend the Constitution.

Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque, in his maiden remark after taking oath on Thursday, said the relevant articles of the original constitution automatically got revived through verdict of the 5th amendment and called for reprinting the constitution incorporating the changes. The spokesmen of the two largest parties from separate programmes yesterday differed from the CJ's comment.

Awami League General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam said, "The amendment to the constitution has to come from Parliament. Allowing the judiciary to make such changes will thwart democracy."

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain expressed the same view saying that only the Parliament has the authority to write and amend the Constitution. No one else has the jurisdiction, he said.

Syed Ashraf was addressing a conference as the chief guest at the Institution of Engineers' in the capital organised by the Worker's Party of Bangladesh while Khandker Delwar was addressing a discussion at the National Press Club organised by the National Democratic Party (NDP).

Syed Ashraf said only the parliament has the right of bringing amendments to the constitutions. He apprehended that if the constitution is amended by the any other means, it may threaten democracy, he said. The LGRD Minister disagreed with the suggestion for reprinting the Constitution based on the Supreme Court's verdict proscribing the Fifth Amendment.

Khandker Delwar said, "Many chief justices have given various interpretations of the constitution, but they are not part of the constitution,"If any one expresses his wishes of amending constitution without Parliament, it may be a deep rooted conspiracy, he added.

Meanwhile, BNP Standing Committee member and lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury said the CJ's remark would make the executive and the legislative inactive. Talking to the journalists at his residence in Chittagong, he said the comment will encourage unconstitutional activisms in the country. "It seems that the verdict of chief justice is all in all. The Constitution and the Parliament are no matter to him. The Parliament is threatened due his remark," he said.He also said that the newly appointed CJ by his remark showed disrespect and lack of confidence in the Parliament and opined that the all politicians should sit together to resolve the situation.

When contacted Dr Shahdeen Malik, a renowned lawyer, told the New Nation, "I do not want to make any comment on the matter because the speech is the first speech of the Chief Justice after taking charge." But he opined that there is no provision of the court to write the nation's Constitution. It is the only the right of Parliament, he said.

Mentioning about provisions of the Constitution, veteran lawyer Barrister Rafiq-ul-Haque however told The New Nation that after the Fifth Amendment verdict the relevant part of the constitution will be restored automatically.The Chief Justice's remark on the matter is logical, he opined.

 
 
 



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[ALOCHONA] Harassment at airport by immigration officials



Harassment at airport by immigration officials
 
Noted persons barred from leaving country in the name of govt order
 

Harassment of eminent persons by immigration officials at Hazrat Shahjalal ® International Airport has become a common feature now a day.(The New Nation )

At least a dozen of persons were compelled to cancel their trips abroad for that reason till to-date since January this year, it was alleged.

The airport immigration officials are frequently harassing the distinguished persons at the departure lounge in the name of 'order' from the government high-level.

Several top political leaders and some parliament members belonging to the opposition political parties could not went abroad during the period for the said reason.

Some political personalities, such as, member of BNP standing committee Barrister Moudud Ahmed, vice chairman Barrister Nazmul Huda, joint secretary general Barrister Mahabub Uddin Khokan, joint secretary general of Jammat-e Islami Barrister Abdur Razzak, chairman of Diganta Media Limited Mir Quasem Ali and a number of renowned citizens had faced obstacles when they went to the airport to depart for various countries.

But they had to return home from the airport as they were not given clearance from the concerned authorities. However, most of them later went abroad after getting the court order.

Expressing deep dissatisfaction, a senior political leader expressing anonymity, said that it was not clear why the authorities were putting restriction on going abroad.

"So far I know, no court of this country has issued any order to prevent them from going abroad," he added.

Raising questions he said, "Are not we citizens of this country? Then why are not we getting the right for freedom of movement?"

Terming the incident 'unfortunate', some of the victims said that there should be a proper guideline in this regard so that nobody fall in any harassing situation in future by the immigration officials.

They suggested that the government should immediate prepare a list of those 'persons' who would not be allowed to leave the country to the airport authorities. They will only be allowed to visit abroad after the ban is lifted, the said.

According to sources, the Immigration authorities also create obstacles to those persons who have valid passports and visas, police clearance, and other necessary papers.

Sources said, most of them applied for going abroad for medical treatment, meeting family members and relatives, attending seminars or symposiums and various other reasons.

A source in the Ministry of Home Affairs said the government is yet to prepare any list mentioning persons. The criteria for preparing the list has been fixed, as whether anybody accused by the International War Crime Tribunal, fugitives of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib killing case, members of outlawed terrorist outfits, top ranking criminals and others.

But there is an allegation that concerned departments of the present government are putting restriction on the persons those are leaders of the main opposition political parties-- BNP and Jammat.

Meanwhile, secretary general of BNP Khondaker Delwar Hossain at a press conference recently alleged that the present government had prepared a list of 70 persons and they are not 'eligible' for going abroad.

"My name is also enlisted in that list," the BNP secretary general claimed.

 http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/10/03/news0943.htm



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[ALOCHONA] Georgia Awami League members with FM Dr. Dipu Moni

Dear GA  Awami League Members and Supporters,
 
GA Awami League Members have the pleasure to meet F.M. Dr. Dipu Moni. Open the link below for details:
 
 
Regards,
Dr. Manik

[ALOCHONA] Politically Incorrect Joke - The story of two beggers in London





-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: Khalid Azam
>Sent: Sep 22, 2010 9:44 PM
>To:

>Subject: [foil] The story of two beggers in London 

Subject: The story of two beggers in London

 

Javid and Habib are beggers.They beg in different areas of London. 

Habib begs just as long as Javid,but only collects 2-3 pounds a day. Javid brings home a suitcase full of money of 10 pound notes drives a Jaguar,lives in a mortgage free home and lots of money to spend. 

Habib says to Javid,"I work just as long as you but how come you bring home so much?

Javid says look at your sign,what does it says? Habib's sign reads "I have no work,a wife and 6 kids to support".
Javid says "no wonder you get 2-3 pounds a day" 

Habib says to Javid "So what does your sign says? Javid shows Habib his sign 

It reads

'I only need another 10 pounds to move back to Pakistan.



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RE: [ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from ‘inhuman torture’



Many hindus as wel as some muslims got title from the muslim rulers as 'Talukder, Majumder, Tarafder, Jamadar etc other than original muslims of turkish origin. Charu majumder and Fani Majumder have different ancesteral surnames. If you look and research you will find them, Even thakur is a title. Tagores had different surnames originally. Khundker is a title given by people for the pious people by the villagers who could prescribe tabiz type of medicines to the villagers.
Please, no argument on this.
Shahadat Suhrawardy
 


To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
From: rkhundkar@earthlink.net
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 15:04:04 -0700
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'

 

Suhrawardy & Ramjan Sahibs
very interesting discussion on the ethnography of Bengali muslims and so nice to know that you are of persian origin. Blue blood I am impressed at your high born lineage. Any relation to Hussain Shaheed. Unfortunately for most of we have to settle for a mongrel (mixed beyond recognition from chamar to high born) heritage.
 
But I did have a question and a comment. How do you explain the turkish origins of Majumdar, when many prominent Bengalis like Phani Bhushan Majumdar or Charu Majumdar were clearly of hindu origin. Do you think their turkish ancestors converted to hinduism after coming to East Bengal between the 10th to 15th Century. How could that be!
 
The comment is East bengal - were the borders from time immemorially roughly the same as today's borders of bangladesh. as far as I know from historical sources until 1905 there was no such thing as East Bengal, could you clarify!
 

Robin
 
PS what has this got to do with Mahmudur Rahman!


-----Original Message-----
From: Shahadat Hussaini
Sent: Sep 23, 2010 8:29 AM
To: Alochona Groups , notun Bangladesh , rsf@rsf.org, asie@rsf.org, History Islam , Sonar Bangladesh , diagnose group , joybanglanews@gmail.com, odhora@yahoogroups.com, probashivoice@gmail.com, mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com, Bangla Vision , wide minds
Cc: farhadmazhar@hotmail.com, faruque alamgir , abidbahar@yahoo.com, udarakash08@yahoo.com, sattabadi@yahoo.com, bd_mailer@yahoo.com, serajurrahman@btinternet.com, aminul_islam_raj@yahoo.com, rivercrossinternational@yahoo.com, mannanazad@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'

 
More than half of the Bangladeshis (m,uslims) are children of foreign descendents (Arabs, Turk, Persians, Abysinians, Monguls , Pathans, Afghans) who took refuge in East Bengal (Bangala) beccause there was always peace there. As a matter of fact, Khaleda is a Turk descendent (last name Majumder). Similarly, Hasina is also descendent of fore4ign settlers (sheikh). Khaleda's family hails from Noakhali. Those who were born before 1947, they were all born in Indian soil. Khaleda could have been born in present day India if her family were earning their living there then. Zia though officially born in Bogra, actually was born in Delhi, because his family was living in New Delhi (Federal job). Many of my siblings were born in Karachi, but in paper now, they write Bangladesh as their birth place.
Each and everybody living in Bangladesh, who speaks bengali as their mother tounge, are all totally Bangladeshis no matter what. Those who speaks other languages (Urdu, Chakma, Garo, Khasia etc) they are also Bangladeshis. Let us not bring this unnecessay topic anymore for divisions.
Shahadat H. Suhrawardy
(parsian descendent per discussion but pure Bangladeshi by heart and mind)

 

To: alochona@yahoogroups.com; notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com; rsf@rsf.org; asie@rsf.org; history_islam@yahoogroups.com; sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com; diagnose@yahoogroups.com; joybanglanews@gmail.com; odhora@yahoogroups.com; probashivoice@gmail.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; wideminds@yahoogroups.com
CC: farhadmazhar@hotmail.com; faruquealamgir@gmail.com; abidbahar@yahoo.com; udarakash08@yahoo.com; sattabadi@yahoo.com; bd_mailer@yahoo.com; serajurrahman@btinternet.com; aminul_islam_raj@yahoo.com; rivercrossinternational@yahoo.com; mannanazad@yahoo.com
From: mramjan@hotmail.com
Date: Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:05:16 -0400
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'

 
Sorry, your presented CV is not correct, kindly find the following correct CV
 
Sheikh Hasina                                                          Khaleda
 
Non Bangladeshi                                                       Original Bangladeshi
because; Sheikh, Sayed, Moghal &
patan can not be real Begali but migrated
 
 
Education : BA with no division                                    SSC
 
Mentality : Latial                                                        Mentality: Very Gentle women
 
Talks: Always lies                                                      Talks: Never lies
 
Leader for BAL only                                                    Leadr for the whole nation
 
Always thinks for party members                                Think for whole nation
 
Non toleance of opposition                                          Highly tolerance
 
Thanks
 
Mohammed Ramjan Ali Bhuiyan
a front line freedom fighter in 1971
 

 

To: notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com; rsf@rsf.org; asie@rsf.org; history_islam@yahoogroups.com; sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com; Diagnose@yahoogroups.com; joybanglanews@gmail.com; odhora@yahoogroups.com; probashivoice@gmail.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; alochona@yahoogroups.com; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; WideMinds@yahoogroups.com
CC: farhadmazhar@hotmail.com; faruquealamgir@gmail.com; abidbahar@yahoo.com; udarakash08@yahoo.com; sattabadi@yahoo.com; bd_mailer@yahoo.com; serajurrahman@btinternet.com; aminul_islam_raj@yahoo.com; rivercrossinternational@yahoo.com; mannanazad@yahoo.com
From: manik195709@yahoo.com
Date: Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:36:59 -0700
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'

Dear All,
Difference between Hon. Sk. Hasina & Khaleda Zia at a glance :
 
Hon. Sk. Hasina                                         Khaleda Zia
 
1. Bangladeshi by born.                           1. Indian by born.
 
2. Educated ( Master degree)                  2. Uneducated ( Non Metric )
 
3. Write her own speech                            3. Depends on others( Tota Pakhi)
 
4. Wear traditional outfit                            4. Wear un-Islamic transparent outfit
 
5. Very religious                                          5. Dubiously religious
 
Regards,
M. Ali
 




________________________________
From: Anis Ahmed <anis.ahmed@netzero.net>
To: notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com; Reporter sans frontier RSF <rsf@rsf.org>; RSF Asia bureau <asie@rsf.org>; history_islam@yahoogroups.com; sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com; Diagnose@yahoogroups.com; joybanglanews@gmail.com; odhora@yahoogroups.com; probashivoice@gmail.com; mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com; alochona <alochona@yahoogroups.com>; bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com; wideminds <WideMinds@yahoogroups.com>
Cc: farhadmazhar@hotmail.com; faruquealamgir@gmail.com; Dr. Abid Bahar <abidbahar@yahoo.com>; Nayan Khan <udarakash08@yahoo.com>; sattabadi@yahoo.com; Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com>; serajurrahman@btinternet.com; Md. Aminul Islam <aminul_islam_raj@yahoo.com>; rivercrossinternational@yahoo.com; mannanazad@yahoo.com
Sent: Sun, June 13, 2010 7:25:10 PM
Subject: Re: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'

 

Dear Friends:
 
I strongly condemn the heinous and vindictive activities of the current Bangladesh government for torturing editor of a national daily newspaper "Amardesh" in inhuman way. Rulers of the  current Bangladesh government should be held responsible for their criminal acts.
 
At the same time I request all of you to contact your area congressmen, congresswomen, senator, MP or elected public officials of the country you live and bring their attention to this fact with other inhuman activities of the current Bangladesh government. Also, raise your voices against the current Bangladesh rullers for their barbaric and inhuman activities.
 
As a citizen of this civilized world we can not turn our eyes to ignore the uncivilized attrocities of the current cruel Bangladesh government. Current rulers came into the power with bloods in their hands (please see below the web-linkages) and keeping those hands with more fresh bloods. We can not remain silence anymore.
 
Bangladesh government must stop inhuman tortures to Mahmudur Rahman and release him with dignity immediately and must give him the rights of due process of law.
 
At the same time I urge all Bangladeshi people around the world to raise thier voices to Prosecute Sheik Hasina for ordering to kill innocent people with logi boitha. http://bangladesh- web.com/view. php?hidRecord= 319801
 
 
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=W9pfPeKONYY&feature=related
 
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=ykzsmHD3VgM&feature=related
 
Anis Ahmed
Maryland, USA
 

----- Original Message -----
>From: Abdul Mannan Azad
>To: Reporter sans frontier RSF ; RSF Asia bureau
>Cc: History Islam ; Notun-Bangladesh YahooGroups
>Sent: Saturday, June 12, 2010 7:51 PM
>Subject: [notun_bangladesh] save Mahmudur Rahman from 'inhuman torture'
>

>Mahmudur alleges'inhuman torture'   in custody
>Staff Correspondent
>The detained Amar Desh acting editor, Mahmudur Rahman, on Saturday urged the court to save his life from the 'inhuman torture' he was allegedly undergoing in police custody.
>   'Your honour, please save my life,' he told the court. 'I am not supposed to be alive after the level of torture I have experienced at the cantonment police station. I was blindfolded and stripped by five men in the lock-up. I fainted after they pressed me on the chest and back.'
>   Mahmudur was brought to the court at around 3:00pm after a three-day remand in the case of obstructing the police. He said he could not stand on the dock and the court allowed him to sit.
>   He told the court he had undergone 'inhumane torture in police custody. He asked the court whether an individual could be tortured if the constitution, democracy and human rights were upheld in the country.
>   After his remarks, his attorneys told the court he should be granted bail in the case as he was a former adviser with the status of a state minister and editor of a national daily. 'The case in which the police arrested him was a false case. Police said they had been assaulted but the persons beaten up had not been named. So we hope the court would grant him bail for the sake of justice,' said Sanaullah Mia.
>   Another attorney Taimur Alam Khandakar said the sections but one of the code of criminal procedure under which the case was filed were bailable.
>   The court, however, remanded Mahmudur in custody for four days in an anti-terrorism case filed by the Uttara police.
>   At one stage of the hearing, Mahmudur's attorney Nasiruddin Ahmed Asim submitted a directive of the High Court on remand and said the directives were ignored during interrogation. He said as per the order, only the investigation officer would interrogate the person remanded in custody.
>   'The directive also makes it mandatory to conduct health examination before a person is remanded in custody but this directive was also ignored,' he added.
>   More than 100 lawyers, including Salahuddin Ahmed, Ahsan Kabir, Zakir Hossain, Zainal Abedin Mesbah, Monir Hossain and Belal Hossain Jasim, were present in the courtroom.
>   The BNP secretary general, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, meanwhile, on Saturday demanded immediate release of Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman and condemned the inhumane torture on him in custody.
>   Delwar said in a statement the torture of Mahmudur Rahman in custody exposed the fascist character of the power hungry Awami League government. He demanded proper medical treatment of the editor.
>   'They trample the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary to deny freedom of the press only to ensure that no one would dare to criticise them,' he said.
>   'That is why the Awami League government was torturing Mahmudur Rahman physically and mentally,' he said.

>M.A.Mannan AZAD
>Editor:Light House Media
>web:http://azad- media.webs. com
>President:Banglades h Journalist union
>                  in France
>
>
>
>____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ___
>Penny Stock Jumping 2000%
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[ALOCHONA] Re: A War Crimes Trial without Dead Bodies!

Sorry to disappoint the mad harridan Farida bloody Majid but I am not Sunita Paul or Sohail Taj. Get a life and stop wasting my time with idiotic allegations.


--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Farida Majid <farida_majid@...> wrote:
>
>
> This is from the low-life amoeba-like sickness (meaning vomiting and diarrhea) of
> Barrister MBI Munsh who brought you Sunita Paul last year. Remember your basic biology
> class where you learned that amoeba was the the most rudimentary life form that splits
> itself in order to multiply. That is the only God-granted method of procreation io amoeba,
>
> This "Sohel Taj" before becoming a "Post graduate student" at University College, London,
> made an appearance on our Alochona forum as an (guess who?) Awami League leader who was
> full of praise for a book he just finished reading. It was titled The India Doctrine by MBI Munshi.
>
> We are all kindergarten kids here, so we have to believe when someone comes up
> and whines, "The dog ate my home work!"
>
> The worms ate the dead bodies, Sohel Taj. You, the amoeba, should have been the
> first to know that.
>
> Farida Majid
>
>
>
>
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> From: sohailtaj2008@...
> Date: Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:37:49 +0000
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] A War Crimes Trial without Dead Bodies!
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> A War Crimes Trial without Dead Bodies!
>
> The detestable and morally bankrupt politician Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (SQC) made quite an acute and insightful remark recently when he questioned why the war crimes investigators were interviewing witnesses but not going to the graveyard. It is very likely that SQC probably did not himself quite realize the legal implication and evidentiary significance of what he had just said. Put quite simply how can there be a trial if there is no proof of an offence having been committed? It is not sufficient simply to have witnesses testify that a crime has been committed there needs to be actual physical evidence that a crime was in fact committed. In the case of murder this should obviously be the object of the crime i.e. a dead body. In the more compelling situation of war crimes and mass murder there would probably need to be a large number of dead bodies put in evidence or the existence of a mass grave or two. Since Sheikh Mujiur Rahman himself estimated the number of dead during the 1971 war to be around 3 million finding the requisite number of dead bodies for a conviction in a war crimes trial should be a trifling matter. However, so far not a single piece of physical evidence of the type required has been produced by the investigators.
>
> It is not sufficient in a court of law to have eye witnesses merely say that an accused was at a particular time and place where the offences were committed but more tangibly and specifically the actual object of the crime must also be produced in court (or more practically photographic evidence of the dead bodies) unless this proves entirely impossible to do. This may occur if the murderer pushed his victim into the sea and the body becomes impossible to recover. In such a situation conviction will rest on the credibility, believability and plausibility of the accounts of the eye witness testimonies alone. In the specific situation of the war crimes investigation in Bangladesh no such daunting problem exists. I assume that since 3 million people lost their lives in the war there must be an abundance of damning physical evidence to convict the several accused now in custody. Of course, for conviction to stand a generic number of dead bodies will not do but the actual victims for which the accused is standing trial must be produced in court (normally through photographic and forensic samples). There is, however, also the additional complicating matter of proving the manner of death of the alleged victims. The dead body must show signs of (abnormal or artificially induced) injury sufficient to cause death. Presumably in the case of war crimes the specific victims may indicate a bullet hole through the skull or fractured bones suggesting massive internal and external bleeding caused by repeated beating with a blunt instrument. Has the investigation committee exhumed any bodies or have they even sought permission to do so? Without this most basic and essential piece of evidence conviction is almost impossible and the trials will merely become a media charade and legal farce and justice will not be seen to be done. Sentiment and emotion alone will not bring a conviction in these cases.
>
> If one takes as an example the Nuremberg Trials and the subsequent prosecutions brought against Nazi war criminals there was a mass of physical evidence produced in court as well as eye witness testimonies and documentary materials. In Bangladesh the investigators seems to be relying purely on testimonies of witnesses many of whom were not even present during the committing of the offences. None of those questioned appear to be actual eye witnesses to the events of murder committed during 1971. Everything that has been produced as evidence by the investigators appears to be purely circumstantial in nature. A witness may have seen an accused at a particular place and time where the crimes were committed but unless he actually saw the committing of an offence his testimony is of little intrinsic value. Similarly without the actual dead bodies produced in court in the form of photographic evidence and other forensic testimony to identify the bodies and the manner of death there is really no meaning to these trials.
>
> Sohail Taj
>
> Postgraduate Student
>
> University College London
>


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

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[ALOCHONA] America's War on Islam



America's War on Islam
 
by Stephen Lendman
 

America prides itself on religious freedom, the Constitution's First Amendment stating:

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

In fact, those rights are selectively enforced, and consistently denied at the whim of administrations, Congress and courts, including equal respect for all religions - more than ever post-9/11 under Bush and Obama, agents of privilege, not Constitutionally protected freedoms. A sad testimony to a rhetorical, not real democracy, Muslim Americans especially victimized, vilified, and persecuted for their faith, ethnicity, prominence, activism, and charity - innocent men and women bogusly called terrorists, used for political advantage.

More than any other ethnic/religious group, Western discourse especially wrongs and unfairly portrays Muslim/Arabs stereotypically as culturally inferior, dirty, lecherous, untrustworthy, religiously fanatical, and violent.

In his book, "Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People," Jack Shaheen explained how they've been defamed and used as fair game throughout decades of cinematic history (from silent films to recent ones) to foster prejudicial attitudes, and reinforce notions of Western values, high-mindedness, and moral superiority.

Worse still are slanderous media commentaries about dangerous gun-toting terrorists, vital for authorities to arrest and imprison, never mind the rule of law, right or wrong, or whether those accused are guilty or innocent. It's no surprise when new suspects are named, media reports automatically convicting them in the court of public opinion, poisoning it by stereotypical characterizations and baseless charges, invariably against Muslims, and by implication their faith.

No wonder politicians and extremist Christian fundamentalist ministers rage over Muslim "terrorists" and a proposed New York Islamic cultural center two blocks from Ground Zero, threatening a public 9/11 Koran burning in protest - cancelled, then suspended, now re-cancelled, so stay tuned, the outrageous media frenzy may encourage it ahead, as well as attacks around the country against mosques, perhaps with Muslims inside praying, authorities turning a blind eye about people they despise, pretending, like Obama, they care.

On 9/11/2010, he disingenuously said America's not "at war with Islam," while he wages it against at least six Muslim countries - Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia Yemen, and Palestine by supplying Israel with annual billions in aid and the latest weapons and technology. He also threatens or intimidates other countries, including Iran, Lebanon, Syria, North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba, even though none of them pose a regional or global threat.

In addition, Special Forces death squads (like Task Force 373), extrajudicially murder or capture suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda figures, many hundreds or perhaps thousands on a so-called Jpel (joint prioritized effects) list.

Further, drones and ground forces kill civilian men, women and children daily, falsely called "terrorists" or "insurgents," and Special Forces and CIA operatives operate lawlessly in 75 or more countries, warring covertly against anyone opposing US interests.

It's America's secret war, mostly against Muslims, including US citizens abroad, denied due process or judicial fairness. Just a bullet, bomb or slit throat, Obama's summary judgment, defiling the rule of law - counter-insurgency madness to cow people into submission, advancing permanent war and endless violence, breeding resentment and hatred throughout the Muslim world.

On 9/11, AP said, for the second straight day, thousands of Afghans in Kabul responded to anti-Muslim hatred, specifically the announced Koran burning. Despite cancelling it, the damage was done, crowds burning tires and shouting "Long live Islam, death to America." Earlier in the week, they heard fiery speeches from parliament members, provincial council deputies, and Islamic clerics, criticizing Washington and demanding foreign troops withdraw. Some also threw rocks at a passing US military convoy.

Protesters in front of western Kabul's Milad ul-Nabi mosque raised and flags with slogans calling for Obama's death, also a cardboard effigy of Dove World Outreach Center's pastor Terry Jones. All religious holy books are sacred, demanding the respect they deserve. Burning or desecrating them is morally wrong and profoundly offensive.

In 2005, Afghan riots killed 15 and injured dozens following stories about Guantanamo interrogators placing Korans in washrooms and flushing one down a toilet. Imagine the outrage in America if Muslims did it to Bibles or other Judeo-Christian scripture.

Against that backdrop, Obama's 9/11 address at the Pentagon (symbolic of America's war agenda) was an exercise in demagoguery and lies saying:

"We will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or hunker down behind walls of suspicion and mistrust....The highest honor we can pay those we lost, indeed our greatest weapon in this ongoing war, is to do what our adversaries fear the most. To stay true to who we are, as Americans; to renew our sense of common purpose; to say that we define the character of our country, and we will not let the acts of some small band of murderers who slaughter the innocent and cower in caves distort who we are."

Fact check:

-- in 20 months as president, Obama continued what Bush began, stripping civil liberties, defiling human rights, waging imperial wars, increasing homeland repression, and targeting dissent and democratic freedoms;

-- at home and abroad, he's fostered hate, loathing, and mistrust throughout the entire Muslim world;

-- "those (9/11 victims) we lost" were by our hands, not "crazed Arabs" from an Afghanistan cave directing their American operatives;

-- "true to who we are? our sense of common purpose? the character of our country?" In fact, a cavernous divide separates most Americans from our criminal ruling cabal. Obama is its titular head allied with corporate predators, exploiting human resources and strip mining the world for profits, allied with out-of-control militarists, destroying it for power and privilege;

-- "some small band of murderers who slaughter the innocent?" America's marauding armies wage ruthless wars on planet earth, slaughtering millions on every continent;

-- "distort who we are?" The above account explains it, unmasking Obama's demagoguery.

Saying "We champion the rights of every American (to) worship as one chooses," Obama omitted the New York cultural center or announced Koran burning, now cancelled, showing his contempt for Islam, his words notwithstanding, disingenuous rhetoric like everything he says, what everyone needs to know, what too few understand, still thinking he's different. He's not, and in many respects he's worse than his predecessor.

Justifying America's imperial wars and homeland repression requires enemies, Muslims the target of choice, vilified for their faith, "terrorists" or "Islamofascists" because we say so. It's reminiscent of the false late 1990s accusations against Nation of Islam National Representative Louis Farrakhan, saying he called the Pope "the anti-Christ" and Judaism a "gutter religion."

He strongly rebutted the assertions, what Washington can't do about Islam, calling it a "religion of war," when, in fact, it promotes love, not hate; peace, not violence; good over evil; charity, not exploitation; and a just and fair society for people of all faiths.

America's Judeo-Christian "war on terror" disdains these beliefs, vilifying people for their faith, slaughtering and torturing them abroad, conducting a modern day Inquisition at home, a lawless holy crusade, based on lies, deceit, and managed news. Regular state propaganda over the airwaves preaches hate for global conquest, masquerading as democracy, the kind Washington won't tolerate anywhere, including at home.

A Final Comment

Washington's one-sided Israeli support underscores its disdain for Islam. Obama accentuated it by telling Netanyahu that "The bond between the United States and Israel is unbreakable," assuring him of America's "deep, abiding interest in Israel's security," a message Palestinians and world Muslims know means no interest in theirs.

Worse still, he endorsed Cast Lead and Gaza's siege, mercilessly and illegally suffocating 1.5 million people posing no threat whatever. Hamas is targeted for its independence, not militancy, what he and Western media won't explain.

The latest round of peace talks continue, as bogus as others, on and off for the past 35 years, resolving nothing but empowering Israel at the expense of Occupied Palestinians. The only possible outcome this time is like before - total failure or unconditional capitulation, nothing in between, because Washington and Israel won't tolerate a just, equitable agreement.

Obama also rejects Hamas as Palestine's legitimate government as well its right to self-defense. Under occupation, it's essential against a nuclear-armed marauder, a rogue state, a military powerhouse aggressor believing violence is the only language Arabs understand. No wonder growing millions globally see Israel for what it is - a regional and world menace complicit with its Washington paymaster/partner.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

http://www.thepeoplesvoice.org/TPV3/Voices.php/2010/09/16/america-s-war-on-islam



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