Thursday, July 1, 2010
Medicinal Plants of India
(Announcement)
Medicinal plants play an important ROLE IN HUMAN LIFE TO COMBAT DISEASES SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. The rural folks and tribals in India even now depend largely on the surrounding plants/forests for their day-to-day needs. Medicinal plant are being looked upon not only as a source of health care but also as a source of income. The value of medicinal plants related trade in India is of the order of 5.5 billion US$ (Exim Report-1997) and is further increasing day-by-day. The international market of herbal products is estimated to be US $ 62 BILLION. India share in the global market of medicinal plants trade is less than 0.5%. In view of the innate Indian strengths, which include diverse eco-systems for growth of medicinal plants, technical/farming capacity, strong manufacturing sector, the medicinal plants sector can provide a huge export opportunity after fulfilling domestic needs.
Govt of India has been implementing Contractual Farming Scheme under which financial assistance @ 30% of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 9.00 lakhs, is provided to farmers / growers for cultivation of identified medicinal plants. The Scheme is implemented through State Government. The Goovt of India had identified list of 32 medicinal plants for cultivation and development on priority basics-I. However, as per Operational Guidelines, projects for cultivation of other commercially important plants can also be considered for which assured market exists.
The present e-book (e-mail edition) also covers systematic account of most different plants with pictures used in medicines. It covers Medicinal Plants containing alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, additives and other active matabolites.
It also contains details of Govt. Schemes for Medicinal Plants. We hope that this e. book will be useful not only for technologists, professionals, but also for farmers, traders, students, NGOs, institutions, exporters and importers of Medicinal Plants.
The CD-based book costs Rs. 550/-
Payment: Demand Draft//MO only in favour of "International Information Resource Centre",
Mailing address: POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Ph:09858986794,01933-223705
e-mail:iirc@rediffmail.com
India: Prosecute Soldiers in Kashmir ‘Encounter Killing’ : RRW
By: Johan Simith
New York, Jully 7: The recent killing of three men by soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir in an apparent faked encounter with so-called militants underscores the urgency for the Indian government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers (Jammu and Kashmir) Act (AFSPA), Human Rights Watch said today. Under the Act, which has been in force in Kashmir since 1990, soldiers may not be prosecuted in a civilian court unless sanctioned by the federal government, which is extremely rare.
Police have accused Col. D.K. Pathania and Maj. Upinder Singh of the 4th Rajput Regiment of killing three Kashmiri villagers on April 30, 2010. The military men falsely claimed that the villagers were anti-government militants and shot at the Line of Control (LOC), the effective border separating the Indian- and Pakistani-administered regions of Kashmir. The army ordered an inquiry, suspended the major, and removed the colonel from command.
"We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians," said Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice."
The army claimed that it killed three militants after it foiled their attempt to infiltrate in the Machil sector of the Line of Control, and displayed AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition, and Pakistani currency allegedly recovered from the men. Police allege, though, that a member of the Territorial Army, Abbas Hussain Shah, deliberately lured the three men - Mohamad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmed, and Riyaz Ahmed, all residents of Nadihal in Baramulla district - into army custody with an offer of jobs.
Police arrested Shah, along with two alleged accomplices, after relatives reported that the three men were missing. The police said that Shah had admitted that he took the men to a village near the border, from which soldiers transported them to the Line of Control. Shah said he was acting under orders from Major Singh. The three bodies were later exhumed and identified by their relatives in the presence of a magistrate.
"The army's narrative of shooting infiltrators is the same tired story used time and again to claim military glory," Ganguly said. "The army's special powers to operate in conflict areas are being repeatedly abused and should be withdrawn."
A government-appointed review committee recommended repealing the act in 2004 because of repeated abuse. In 2009, the Indian government promised to revise the law to ensure human rights protections, but the bill has yet to be placed before parliament. The army has resisted any curtailment of its powers under the act, particularly its immunity from prosecution, saying that it will lead to frivolous complaints and will hurt troop morale. Human Rights Watch has documented numerous cases of faked "encounter killings."
For instance, in a 2000 case in Pathribal, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed murder charges against five army officers - Brig. Ajay Saxena, Lt. Col. Brajendra Pratap Singh, Maj. Saurabh Sinha, Maj. Amit Saxena, and Subedar Idrees Khan - for their role in abducting and killing five villagers in a staged armed encounter. The army challenged the charges under AFSPA since federal government approval had not been sought before the charges were filed. Court proceedings in the case still drag on, and none of the accused have been taken into custody or brought before a judge. According to some media accounts, some of the accused have continued to serve in the army and received promotions.
Everyone Lives in Fear"
We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians. But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice.
Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher
New York, Jully 7: The recent killing of three men by soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir in an apparent faked encounter with so-called militants underscores the urgency for the Indian government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers (Jammu and Kashmir) Act (AFSPA), Human Rights Watch said today. Under the Act, which has been in force in Kashmir since 1990, soldiers may not be prosecuted in a civilian court unless sanctioned by the federal government, which is extremely rare.
Police have accused Col. D.K. Pathania and Maj. Upinder Singh of the 4th Rajput Regiment of killing three Kashmiri villagers on April 30, 2010. The military men falsely claimed that the villagers were anti-government militants and shot at the Line of Control (LOC), the effective border separating the Indian- and Pakistani-administered regions of Kashmir. The army ordered an inquiry, suspended the major, and removed the colonel from command.
"We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians," said Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. "But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice."
The army claimed that it killed three militants after it foiled their attempt to infiltrate in the Machil sector of the Line of Control, and displayed AK-47 assault rifles, ammunition, and Pakistani currency allegedly recovered from the men. Police allege, though, that a member of the Territorial Army, Abbas Hussain Shah, deliberately lured the three men - Mohamad Shafi, Shehzad Ahmed, and Riyaz Ahmed, all residents of Nadihal in Baramulla district - into army custody with an offer of jobs.
Police arrested Shah, along with two alleged accomplices, after relatives reported that the three men were missing. The police said that Shah had admitted that he took the men to a village near the border, from which soldiers transported them to the Line of Control. Shah said he was acting under orders from Major Singh. The three bodies were later exhumed and identified by their relatives in the presence of a magistrate.
"The army's narrative of shooting infiltrators is the same tired story used time and again to claim military glory," Ganguly said. "The army's special powers to operate in conflict areas are being repeatedly abused and should be withdrawn."
A government-appointed review committee recommended repealing the act in 2004 because of repeated abuse. In 2009, the Indian government promised to revise the law to ensure human rights protections, but the bill has yet to be placed before parliament. The army has resisted any curtailment of its powers under the act, particularly its immunity from prosecution, saying that it will lead to frivolous complaints and will hurt troop morale. Human Rights Watch has documented numerous cases of faked "encounter killings."
For instance, in a 2000 case in Pathribal, the Central Bureau of Investigation filed murder charges against five army officers - Brig. Ajay Saxena, Lt. Col. Brajendra Pratap Singh, Maj. Saurabh Sinha, Maj. Amit Saxena, and Subedar Idrees Khan - for their role in abducting and killing five villagers in a staged armed encounter. The army challenged the charges under AFSPA since federal government approval had not been sought before the charges were filed. Court proceedings in the case still drag on, and none of the accused have been taken into custody or brought before a judge. According to some media accounts, some of the accused have continued to serve in the army and received promotions.
Everyone Lives in Fear"
We have seen too many army inquiries, supposed suspensions, and false promises of punishment whenever soldiers are implicated in killing civilians. But when the dust settles, the army obstructs prosecution under the Special Powers Act, and fails to deliver justice.
Meenakshi Ganguly, senior South Asia researcher
(Announcement) Travel Grants for Cultural and Artistic Exchanges in Africa
Art Moves Africa (AMA) is an international nonprofit organization working to “to facilitate cultural and artistic exchanges within the African continent. AMA offers travel funds to artists, arts professionals and cultural operators living and working in Africa to travel within the African continent in order to engage in the exchange of information, the enhancement of skills, the development of informal networks and the pursuit of cooperation.”
AMA offers travel grants to “artists, arts professionals and cultural operators living and working in Africa to travel within the continent in order to engage in the exchange of information, the enhancement of skills, the development of informal networks and the pursuit of cooperation.”
Art Moves Africa supports the travel of artists and cultural professionals working in the following artistic fields:
Performing arts : theatre, dance, story telling…etc
Music
Visual arts
Cinema
Literature
Applications are accepted round the year and the next deadline to process the applications is 1 September 2010. For more information, visit this Website: www.artmovesafrica.org
ART MOVES AFRICA (AMA)
Khadija El Bennaoui, Coordinator
98, rue Antoine Dansaert. 1000 Brussels/Belgium
Tel.: +32476676149
Fax: +32 251 15 202
Website: www.artmovesafrica.org
Email: info@artmovesafrica.org
Indian Army restrict Kashmiris to houses: Mirwaiz Farooq
Srinagar, Jully 1 (Writer-South Asia): In disputed state of Kashmir, the Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that, on one side, the Indian troops and police personnel are killing Kashmiris and, on the other, the people of Kashmir have been restricted to their houses through undeclared curfew.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement issued in Srinagar appealed Kashmiri people to continue their peaceful protest against Kashmiris’ massacre by troops. He said that if the occupation authorities prevented them from holding demos on roads, then they protest in mosques.
He said that the people of Kashmir have pledged to take the ongoing liberation struggle to its logical end despite the use of brute force by Indian troops. He said that no power of the world could stop them from their just struggle for right to self-determination.
The APHC Chairman appealed the world community to send teams to the occupied territory to review the situation and also urged it to put pressure on India to stop massive human rights violations in Kashmir and resolve the Kashmir dispute in accordance with Kashmiri’ aspirations.
Pakistan is estimated to have more nuclear warheads than India: NNW, report
While Pakistan is estimated to possess 70-90 nuclear weapons, India is believed to have 60-80, claims Robert S Norris and Hans M Kristensen in their latest article 'Nuclear Notebook: Worldwide deployments of nuclear weapons, 2010'.
Russia 13,000*
United States 9,400**
France 300
China 240
Britain 180
Israel 80–100
Pakistan 70–90
India 60–80
North Korea ?
Iran ?
Tota l ~23,360
The article published in the latest issue of 'Bulletin of the Atomic Science' claimed that Beijing, Islamabad and New Delhi are quantitatively and qualitatively increasing their arsenals and deploying weapons at more sites, yet the locations are difficult to pinpoint.
For example, no reliable public information exists on where Pakistan or India produces its nuclear weapons, it said.
"Pakistan's nuclear weapons are not believed to be fully operational under normal circumstances, India is thought to store its nuclear warheads and bombs in central storage locations rather than on bases with operational forces. But, since all three countries are expanding their arsenals, new bases and storage sites probably are under construction," the two nuclear experts said.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
No plan to ban Lamhaa, says Govt
The film, set in Kashmir, tells the story about a soldier played by Dutt and his Kashmiri love interest, played by a de-glamorised Basu. Parzania director Rahul Dholakia had made the film. Director Rahul Dholakia told 16 June to Ed. Sheikh GULZAAR in from Mumbay that film is stated to release on Jully 16.
The home secretary felt that stalling or banning a movie is not the answer to the problem. "This is a democratic set-up and in a democracy people have the right to speak up and put forth their views. I am confident that the release of such a movie will not add to the existing problem," he added.
Dholakia told Rediff.com that he is happy with the home secretary's statement. "This is the right decision. It is the time to create an environment of trust so that the problems are solved. Kashmir is burning today and it is our responsibility to create an environment of trust," the director said.
His movie, he added, is not reflective of the government's views, but deals with the plight of resident Kashmiris. The film does not deal with the sentiments of India or Pakistan on this issue, he added. "We are just dealing with the state of the residents of that beautiful place."
"I am hopeful that the movie will do well," Dholakia said. His last film, starring Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika is yet to be released in Gujarat.
Withdrawal of troops from entire Jammu and Kashmir and joint supervision by India and Pakistan.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who will be meeting External Affairs Minister S M Krishna in Islamabad Images ] on July 15, said the two countries should build on progress made in any area and look at ways to make progress where it has not been done.
"We will not like to ignore anything. We will not like to ignore any development or any positive development that has taken place between India and Pakistan," he told PTI in an interview in Islamabad.
He was responding when asked to comment on India's emphasis that there was a need to "reaffirm" the progress made through "complex negotiations and dialogue through patient and unsung effort" whether in the composite dialogue or back channel diplomacy.
"Any issue, whether it is Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek, water, any issue where progress can be made, should be made. Where it hasn't been made, we should look at ways and means how to make progress. Where progress has been made, let us build on it further," Qureshi said in a wide-ranging interaction.
Asked whether his government endorses the four-point formula floated by Musharraf in December 2006 to resolve Kashmir issue, he said, "The four-point formula that Gen Musharraf made then was his thinking. It was being done through quiet back-channel diplomacy."
The formula envisaged softening of Line of Control self-governance, phased withdrawal of troops from entire Jammu and Kashmir and joint supervision by India and Pakistan.
"We are a democracy, Parliament has to own them, Parliament has to endorse them, Cabinet has to discuss them," the foreign minister said, adding these proposals were "neither discussed by Cabinet, nor endorsed by Parliament. So, as democrats, there are certain parliamentary procedures that we have to fulfill."
Qureshi noted that over the last six decades many proposals have been made for resolution of the Kashmir issue.
"Over 61 proposals have been under discussion, some (given) by India, some by Pakistan and some by third party experts on how to resolve it," he said.
"It is a complex problem, there are no easy solutions, but if environment is created, then both sides can see what lies in their interest," the Pakistan foreign minister said.
Queried whether he had any proposals to resolve Kashmir issue, he responded, "I have ideas but can't share with you. I can share with Mr Krishna... I would like to be transparent with him, I would like to be candid, I would like to be honest and I would like to be constructive."
On whether he planned to share these ideas with Krishna during their upcoming meeting on July 15 in Islamabad, he indicated that he may not do so.
"This is the first meeting after a considerable pause. We will have to build on confidence level on both sides," he said.
Asked whether he had any new confidence-building measures in mind, he said this aspect could be talked about "when the time comes".
Kashmir needs direct UN focus: M. Farooq Rehmani
Farooq Rehmani in a statement condemned in strong words killing of youth in the northern area of Kashmir, crack down on peaceful political demonstrators, undeclared curfew in parts of the territory and large scale arrests of Hurriyat leaders and workers in Srinagar.
He deplored that the United Nations and its Council for Human Rights were indifferent to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where people were being treated like sheep and goats. He said that the threat to life of people was increasing day by day, so it was the duty of the world body to call an emergency session of the General Assembly, make India answerable before it and force her to abolish inhuman laws in the region and follow the International Human Rights Laws in Kashmir.
Muhammad Farooq Rehmani warned that if the UN did not come forward to rescue the Kashmiris, India would get emboldened and no bilateral talks or the so called peace diplomacy would save the region from disaster. »
India using IHK for military experiments: IPT
Convener of IPT, Angana Chatterji, while addressing media persons, said that Kashmir was a laboratory of violent experiments conducted by Indian military and armed forces had got increasingly powerful in the territory.
She said that the occupation authorities, in collaboration with Hindu nationalists, were promoting militarised Hindu nationalism and vowed to externalise the recent spate of innocent killings in the occupied territory.
The IPT demanded of the international community to be accountable towards the gruesome situation in the Valley.
Speaking on the occasion, founder of Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), Parvez Imroz said the occupation authorities had no feeling of accountability. “The massive repression is highly condemnable,” he added.
Urging the international community to intervene, Imroz said that the US, European Union and other nations should help resolve the Kashmir dispute, as its amicable settlement was imperative for peace and stability of the region.
The Tribunal also condemned the presence of armed forces in educational institutions, hospitals, shopping centres, cafeterias, playgrounds and markets.
Protesters attack now NC leader’s house
Srinagar, 30 Jun: Srinagar: Protesters attacked the house of senior National Conference leader Sharief-ud-din Sharik at Handwara in north Kashmir on Wednesday, police sources said.
“Protesters pelted stones at Sharik’s house and tried to barge into it. However, policemen deployed there chased them away,” sources added.
Protesters also pelted stones of NC members on various parts of Kashmir also. In Pampore 200 youths attacked the NC worker Nazir ahmad Mailik.
“Protesters pelted stones at Sharik’s house and tried to barge into it. However, policemen deployed there chased them away,” sources added.
Protesters also pelted stones of NC members on various parts of Kashmir also. In Pampore 200 youths attacked the NC worker Nazir ahmad Mailik.
All India Media Directory released
International Information Resource has been collected the contact information of Satellite TV Channels from all over India and brought out a database on CD-Rom. It contains complete details of hundreds of news, Entertainment from all over India.
Features: Each data Contains Name of the TV Channel , Channel Logo, Complete postal address, Email, Address,website address, phone No, Fax No. etc.
For more details:
International Information Resource Centre
PO Box 667 Srinagar SGR JK 190001
e.m: iirc@rediffmail.com,director.iirc@gmail.com
Cell to Sheikh GULZAAR 09858986794
Ph: 01933-223705
web: http://mediadirectoryindia.blogspot.com/
2700 unmarked graves discovered in Indian Held Kashmir
Srinagar, 30 June: A human rights group in Kashmir urged authorities to launch a probe into 2,700 unmarked graves believed to be people who died as a result of the region's revolt against Indian rule. Srinagar, India.
In disputed Kashmir, 2,700 unmarked graves containing over 2,943 bodies across 55 villages in three districts, Bandipore, Baramulla and Kupwara have been discovered.
The Srinagar based human rights group, International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice for Kashmir (IPTJ) in its report released today in a press conference claimed that the graves could be of those missing from the custody of Indian troops. Rights groups put their numbers at ten thousand. The report is based on research between November 2006 and November 2009 and has been authored by prominent human rights activists of India and occupied Kashmir, Angana P. Chatterji, Parvez Imroz, Gautam Navlakha, Zahir-Ud-Din, Mihir Desai, and Khurram Parvez.
112-page dossier, titled ‘Buried Evidence’ was released at a press conference in Srinagar today by Angna Chatterjee, the convener of the group. The report documents in considerable detail how the actions of Indian military and paramilitary forces in Kashmir inflict terror on the local population, killed through extra-judicial means.
The detailed press note issued in Srinagar at the press conference is as follows:
BURIED EVIDENCE is authored by Angana P. Chatterji, Parvez Imroz, Gautam Navlakha, Zahir-Ud-Din, Mihir Desai, and Khurram Parvez.
[Dr. Angana P. Chatterji is Convener IPTK and Professor, Anthropology, California Institute of Integral Studies.
Avocate Parvez Imroz is Convener IPTK and Founder, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.
Gautam Navlakha is Convener IPTK and Editorial Consultant, Economic and Political Weekly.
Zahir-Ud-Din is Convener IPTK and Vice-President, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.
Advocate Mihir Desai is Legal Counsel IPTK and Lawyer, Mumbai High Court and Supreme Court of India.
Khurram Parvez is Liaison IPTK and Programme Coordinator, Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society.]
Findings
The graveyards investigated by IPTK entomb bodies of those murdered in encounter and fake encounter killings between 1990-2009. These graves include bodies of extrajudicial, summary, and arbitrary executions, as well as massacres committed by the Indian military and paramilitary forces.
Of these graves, 2,373 (87.9 percent) were unnamed. Of these graves, 154 contained two bodies each and 23 contained more than two cadavers. Within these 23 graves, the number of bodies ranged from 3 to 17.
A mass grave may be identified as containing more than one, and usually unidentified, human cadaver. Scholars refer to mass graves as resulting from crimes against humanity, war crimes, or genocide. If the intent of a mass grave is to execute death with impunity, with intent to kill more than one, and to forge an unremitting representation of death, then, to that extent, the graves in Bandipora, Baramulla, and Kupwara are part of a collective burial by India’s military and paramilitary, creating a landscape of “mass burial.”
Post-death, the bodies of the victims were routinely handled by military and paramilitary personnel, including the local police. The bodies were then brought to the “secret graveyards” primarily by personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The graves were constructed by local gravediggers and caretakers, buried individually when possible, and specifically not en mass, in keeping with Islamic religious sensibilities.
The graves, with few exceptions, hold bodies of men. Violence against civilian men has expanded spaces for enacting violence against women. Women have been forced to disproportionately assume the task of caregiving to disintegrated families and undertake the work of seeking justice following disappearances and deaths. These graveyards have been placed next to fields, schools, and homes, largely on community land, and their affect on the local community is daunting.
The Indian Armed Forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police routinely claim the dead buried in unknown and unmarked graves to be “foreign militants/terrorists.” They claim that the dead were unidentified foreign or Kashmiri militants killed while infiltrating across the border areas into Kashmir or travelling from Kashmir into Pakistan to seek arms training. Official state discourse conflates cross-border militancy with present nonviolent struggles by local Kashmiri groups for political and territorial self-determination, portraying local resistance as “terrorist” activity.
Exhumation and identification have not occurred in sizeable cases. Where they have been undertaken, in various instances, “encounter” killings across Kashmir have, in fact, been authenticated as “fake encounter” killings. In instances where, post-burial, bodies have been identified, two methods have been used prevalently. These are 1. Exhumation; and 2. Identification through the use of photographs.
The report also examines 50 alleged “encounter” killings by Indian security forces in numerous districts in Kashmir. Of these persons, 39 were of Muslim descent; 4 were of Hindu descent; 7 were not determined. Of these cases, 49 were labelled militants/foreign insurgents by security forces and one body that was drowned. Of these, following investigations, 47 were found killed in fake encounters and one was identifiable as a local militant.
IPTK has been able to study only partial areas within 3 of 10 districts in Kashmir, and our findings and very preliminary evidence point to the severity of existing conditions. If independent investigations were to be undertaken in all 10 districts, it is reasonable to assume that the 8,000+ enforced disappearances since 1989 would correlate with the number of bodies in unknown, unmarked, and mass graves.
Allegations
The methodical and planned use of killing and violence in Indian-administered Kashmir constitutes crimes against humanity in the context of an ongoing conflict. The Indian state’s governance of Indian-administered Kashmir requires the use of discipline and death as techniques of social control. Discipline is affected through military presence, surveillance, punishment, and fear. Death is disbursed through “extrajudicial” means and those authorized by law. These techniques of rule are used to kill, and create fear of not just death but of murder.
Mass and intensified extrajudicial killings have been part of a sustained and widespread offensive by the military and paramilitary institutions of the Indian state against civilians of Jammu and Kashmir. IPTK asks that the evidence put forward in this report be examined, verified, and reframed as relevant by credible, independent, and international bodies, and that international institutions ask that the Government of India comply with such investigations.
We note that the international community and institutions have not examined the supposition of crimes against humanity in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir. We note that the United Nations and its member states have remained ineffective in containing and halting the adverse consequences of the Indians state’s militarization in Kashmir.
We ask that evidence from unknown, unmarked, and mass graves in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir be used to seek justice, through the sentencing of criminals and other judicial and social processes. As well, the existence of these graves, and how they came to be, may be understood as indicative of the effects and issue of militarization, and the issues pertaining to militarization itself must be addressed seriously and expeditiously.
The violences of militarization in Indian-administered Kashmir, between 1989-2009, have resulted in 70,000+ deaths, including through extrajudicial or “fake encounter” executions, custodial brutality, and other means. In the enduring conflict, 6, 67,000 military and paramilitary personnel continue to act with impunity to regulate movement, law, and order across Kashmir. The Indian state itself, through its legal, political, and military actions, has demonstrated the existence of a state of continuing conflict within Indian-
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Is Lashkar-e-Taiba a real global threat
By: Abdullah Muntazir
Srinagar, June 29: There is a debate going on in the west on the issue of a possible threat from Lashkar-e-Taiba – A Jihadi group fighting against Indian occupation of Kashmir and blamed for Mumbai attacks in 2008 – to the western interests. There is no doubt Lashkar hates United States for a number of reasons. Apart from the widespread anti-America resentment in almost all Islamic groups across the globe, the group has some of its own reasons to dislike US. US declared Lashkar-e-Taiba a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) a few months after 9/11 without any substantial reason. The group until then never attacked or planned any attack on US interests. Its focus was totally on Kashmir against Indian forces.
The group believes that by declaring it terrorist organization US wanted to please India and press Pakistan to back off from freedom struggle in Kashmir. Despite its anger the group refrained from attacking US interests in the region but US was not satisfied with its own measures by putting Lashkar on FTO list of the State Department and went to UN Security Council in 2005 for international sanctions against the group. Eventually UNSC put the group in the list of Al-Qaeda and Taliban affiliates and asked the member countries to freeze its assets and impose embargo on purchase of weapons while its members were banned from international travelling. These sanctions could not affect the group in Pakistan as technically it was not active in Pakistan anymore after January 12, 2002 when the then president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf banned the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Sipa-e-Sahaba, and Tehreek-e-Jafria.
US also tried its best to put the name of Jamat-ud-Dawah – a charity and preaching Islamic organization accused of being a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba – in the same UNSC list. Nevertheless, China blocked these moves repeatedly until December 10, 2008 when china, on the request of Pakistan, withdrew its technical hold and Jamat-ud-Dawah and the names of its some prominent leaders were included in the list of banned entities. Jamat-ud-Dawah denies any links with Lashkar and interestingly it took US almost five years to conclude that Jamat-ud-Dawah is an alias of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Lashkar was declared FTO in 2001 while US included the name of Jamat-ud-Dawah in the lists of aliases of Lashkar-e-Taiba in 2005.
In short, Lashkar has obvious reasons to be an anti-American Jihadi group but we will have to see whether this so-called anti-Americanism is ever translated into a practical action or it is just rhetoric in the west on the provocation of some Indian lobbies active in the west – particularly in the United States.
For a number of reasons I believe that Lashkar-e-Taiba is not a direct or indirect threat to western interests. Here are these reasons;
Although the group advocates revival of Khilfphah in the Muslim world but at the same time, it also believes in Pakistani nationalism from an Islamic context. For Lashkar, there are only two states on the world map based on ideology, which are Israel and Pakistan. Pakistan came into being exclusively on the base of Islam while Israel is Jewish state. Lashkar believes that protecting Pakistan is like protecting Islam. No transnational pan-Islamic Jihadi group honors geographical borders. For them these borders are un-Islamic and it is sinful to willingly accept these ‘un-Islamic lines’ drawn on the ‘land of Allah’. On the other hand, Lashkar believes Pakistan is a ‘gift of Allah’. Due to this pro-Pakistan ideology, the group naturally becomes closer to Pakistani security establishment. It thinks in the same line as Pakistani armed forces think –India is the number one enemy of Pakistan. It was quite rational for Pakistani security establishment to rely on Lashkar-e-Taiba for freedom of Kashmir. The group has successfully engaged Indian armed forces in Kashmir for almost 15 years along with other Jihadi groups fighting in Kashmir.
There was tremendous pressure on the group after 9/11 to join Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan to fight against US and NATO forces but the group did not want to create problems for its sympathizers in Pakistani state institutions, therefore it openly declined this popular demand of fighting America. Instead of shifting its focus from Kashmir to Afghanistan, the group expanded its operations from Kashmir to inside India. India accuses Lashkar for attacking dozens of high value targets inside its border including attacks on Mumbai, Indian Military Academy, Red Fort, Akshardham Temple, nuclear institute in Bangalore, Mumbai train attacks in 2006 and others. With its high profile attacks on Indian interests, it appealed the young Indian Muslims who are annoyed by dominating Hindu extremists. Massacres of more than five thousand Muslims by Hindu extremists in Indian state of Gujarat poured oil on fire and provided Lashkar with a great opportunity to exploit the Indian Muslim youths. Pakistani security establishment had/has no problem with Lashkar’s anti-India agenda because India is always suspected for its covet activities in FATA and Baluchistan.
Lashkar has ‘sacrificed’ more than five thousand ‘mujahedeen’ in Kashmir. For Lashkar, it will be betrayal to the souls of those five thousand plus martyrs if it leaves the ‘mission Kashmir’ uncompleted and indulges itself in a battle which is already saturated as far as the number of Jihadi groups are concerns. Lashkar believes that by attacking nations other than India will damage its Kashmir campaign.
Popularity graph of Lashkar in occupied Kashmir and Pakistan is on its peak. There was a time when Al-Qaeda was the mentor for all Jihadi groups and Osama bin Laden was one of the most beloved people in Pakistan. However, suicide attacks inside Pakistan became counterproductive and as result, Al-Qaeda and Taliban are deprived off their good reputation in Pakistan. However, this is not the case with Lashkar. It has an ideology that forbids attacking Muslim states. Therefore, Lashkar not only refrained from attacking Pakistani interests but it discouraged other groups too.
Due to its pro Pakistan ideology and policies, it has deep roots in Pakistani society. It is now able to work as a pressure political group in a number of areas in central and northern Punjab. Although it openly denounces democracy but covertly, it supports candidates of its choice. They can be from any political party. Lashkar knows very well that if it started a global Jihadi campaign it will no longer enjoy such a political advantage in Pakistan.
The group very well appreciates its weaknesses and strengths. It is not capable of challenging the whole west. Not only it will be fool enough to create more and more enemies but it will also invite the wrath of Pakistani security establishment, which is not tolerating Al-Qaeda at any cost, although it views Taliban from a different angle. For Pakistani security establishment Taliban are potential allies in the future but Al-Qaeda is ‘an enemy’. The simplest definition of Al-Qaeda is ‘anyone who attacks the west and has an Islamic origin’. Therefore, if Lashkar starts attacking western targets, Pakistan will obviously consider it Al-Qaeda.
Another reason that Lashkar cannot become ‘Next Al-Qaeda’ is that Al-Qaeda itself does not trust Lashkar. It blames Lashkar as a ‘B’ team of ISI. Due to Lashkar’s reluctance in fighting against US, some of its member defected and tried to join Al-Qaeda but they were considered ‘planted’ people and could not win trust of seniors of Al-Qaeda leaders. One such fighter once told the author of this report, “We are never allowed to see the people of higher ups because they don’t trust us due to our Lashkar background.” While one cannot rule out Lashkar’s support for Afghan Taliban, it seems unlikely that Lashkar and Al-Qaeda can cooperate with each other in current circumstances. Most of the experts in the west quote the example of arrest of Abu Zubaida –a senior leader of Al-Qaeda – from a safe house of Lashkar-e-Taiba but these experts ignore that this arrest was the end of a short love affair between the two groups started right after 9/11. Lashkar was reportedly trying to evacuate ‘Muslim brethrens’ from the war zone but Al-Qaeda members blamed it for betraying and ‘selling’ Abu Zubaida to ISI and US.
Some analysts present David Headley’s case –an American citizen with alleged links with Lashkar as well as CIA –as a catalyst to prove that Lashkar has now global reach and next time a Mumbai style attack may occur ‘not in India but in Manhattan’. A question arises that why these experts and analysts ignore the fact that David Headley was working with Lashkar-e-Taiba since 2003. It was very easy for Lashkar to use Headley and his contacts in US to plan and execute an attack on American soil. Headley’s plea agreement clearly shows that an attack on US or other western countries was never even discussed. Headley only confessed to plan an attack on Danish newspaper. It is an exceptional case as the Danish newspaper committed a crime against the whole Ummah and anyone at anytime can go at any extreme in this cartoon-controversy.
There is a need to view Headley case from another perspective. While Al-Qaeda uses all its available human resource against western targets, Lashkar-e-Taiba succeeded in utilizing a western human resource against its prime enemy India. Think for a while that if David Headley was affiliated with Al-Qaeda what would have happened? A man with American passport, travelling freely across the world, having blessing of some US intelligence agencies –Al-Qaeda would have loved to use him against Pentagon or CIA headquarters or NATO headquarters in Brussels instead of asking him to scout Mumbai.
Virginia Jihad Network also proves that Lashkar is not interested in attacking US or the west. In this case, some American Muslims with Pakistani and Arab origins were allegedly involved in helping Lashkar-e-Taiba for its war against India. US had to enact an old law to convict them because they were not found guilty of harming US citizens. US government accused them that they were trying to harm a US ally. The sentencing of half dozen Muslims was highly criticized by human rights groups.
Pakistani experts on militancy also disagree with the hypothesis of a section of western press and US politicians that Lashkar-e-Taiba is a global threat. These Pakistani experts are not ready to buy the ideas that Al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba are one and same, and that ‘Lashkar is next Al-Qaeda’. Hamid Mir, a leading Pakistani journalist who interviewed Osama Bin Laden more than twice, while commenting on the article of Newsweek magazine in which Lashkar is presented as Next Al-Qaeda, said, “The author of the Newsweek’s article deliberately ignored certain facts to prove his point. Hafiz Muhammad publically condemns suicide bombings and killings of innocent non-Muslims while al-Qaeda does not condemn suicide bombings or killings of innocent people. Jamat-ud-Dawah works in rural Sindh province to help Christians and Hindus but the author of the article mentioned only its relief activities in Kashmir. Lashkar is not like Al-Qaeda.”
Another leading Pakistani journalist and expert on militancy Amir Zia, who works with SAMA TV and News Line Magazine, while talking to the author of this article, said, “Lashkar always remained a Kashmir focused group. It fights against Indian atrocities in Kashmir and tries to attack only military targets. After Mumbai attacks this perception prevailed that this group may become a threat to the west but for me it agenda is limited to Kashmir and India”
Defense analyst and a professor at renowned Quad-e-Azam University Islamabad commented on the issue from a different angle and said “It will be premature to say that Lashkar is a bigger threat than Al-Qaeda. The situation is a bit complex. The group is in evolution process. It works in different forms. It also works in the name of Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation to focus on relief activities. There can be some nexus between some old members of the group but as a whole, the group is not focused on the west. It tries to adopt same line as that of the government of Pakistan. Hafiz Saeed now has started to take up political issues between the two countries.”
Indeed Lashkar is a real threat to India and it is capable of bringing India and Pakistan to war. This indirectly may affect US interests in the region, as it wants Pakistan’s total focus on its western border. Pakistan can use its influence to keep this group away from any Mumbai style attacks inside India but trying to crush this ‘bunch of savages’ as demanded by anti-Pakistan US senator Gary Ackerman may become counterproductive.
Lashkar is not occupying any specific territory just as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan did in Sawat and Waziristan. It is impossible to launch a military operation against the group in Pakistan. If India with its hundreds of thousands of troops stationed in Kashmir could not control a few thousand fighters of Lashkar, how can Pakistan control millions of its supporters across the country? The government of Pakistan can only take administrative measures which it has already taken by arresting 7 top commanders of Lashkar and trying them in an anti terror court.
During current strategic dialogue, US officials demanded actions against Lashkar and its leaders. US are very much concerned on the issue. Nevertheless, Pakistan will have to think of its own interests. While Pakistan cannot support a militant group but it also cannot create another Tehreek-e-Taliban in Pakistan. The strategy of crushing the militants is no longer working and the world is compelled to find ways to peruse Afghan Taliban for dialogue.
Although Pro India senator Gary Ackerman is trying to convince US policy makers that resolution of Kashmir issue will not satisfy Lashkar-e-Taiba but the reality is that Kashmir resolution will end the reasons for Lashkar and other groups fighting in Kashmir to take up arms. On January 17, 2009, Lashkar itself made it categorically clear that it will lay down arms if Kashmir issue is peacefully resolved. Its spokesperson Dr. Abdullah Ghaznavi had said “Our struggle is only confined to Kashmir and we have no relations or association with armed groups operating at international level. We have no global agenda. We just want freedom of Kashmir and if it comes peacefully we will welcome it. We don’t see armed struggle as the only way to achieve our goal. If the world listens to our cries and play its role in resolving the Kashmir issue there would be no reason for is to fight.” ( Kashmir Newspaper )
One can argue that it is just a political statement of Lashkar to mislead the world opinion. Of course, it can be a political statement but if Kashmir issue is resolved then groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba will no longer enjoy sympathies of Pakistan. If the west really wants to contain Lashkar, it should ask India to come out of the fear that if it gives up Kashmir the whole India will disintegrate. A nation of more than a billion citizens should not be fearful from giving people their due rights. Boiling Kashmir will spoil the Indian dreams of becoming a permanent member of UNSC. For its growth and prosperity, India must adopt a conflict free policy in the region. This will make the Indian market secure for the western investors. So the west in general, and US and UK in particular, should come forward and help India in resolving Kashmir issue instead of pressing Pakistan for no long-term benefits.
About the authors: Abdullah Muntazir author of this report is an expert on militancy and regional security.
Five hundred thousands march from Srinagar to Sopore
Srinagar, 29, June: Near about five hundred thousands of people are currently marching from Srinagar towards Sopore to express solidarity with the people killed in Sopore on a call given by the All parties Hurriyat Conference-APHC.
According to latest reports,more than five hundred thousands of Kashmiris left in a procession from Rajouri Kadal, Srinagar towards Sopore this morning. As the marchers moved on, thousands of other people people joined them on the way.
Chanting ant-India and pro-freedom slogans, the protesters were stopped by indian forces at Hokersar on the outskirts of Srinagar on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Road commonly known as Shahrah-e-Aziz (Sheikh Aziz High Way). Latest reports suggest that despite firing of tear gas shells to break the march, the protesters continued marching towards Sopore.
In Sopore, thousands of people this morning took the body of Bilal Ahmed Wani in a procession, killed in Indian troops firing on Sunday. Latest reports suggest that security forces have opened fire in the air to break the marchers, who are raising anti-government and pro-freedom slogans. There are no reports of any casualties.
Meanwhile, authorities have put under house arrest several Hurriyat leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF chairman Yasin Malik and other executive members of the amalgam, including Bilal Gani Lone, Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari, Aga Syed Hassan Alsafvi Almosvi and Mirwaiz aide, Shahidul Islam, Hilal Ahmad War, Ahsan Untoo, Fahti Alam, Ajaz Hussian.
Iran: Kashmir to imbibe concept of revolution from (Son of Kashmir) Ayatollah Khomeini
Various functions include the seminars, symposiums, recitation competitions and work shops to aware the people about the life of Ayatollah Imam Khomeini especially the concept of revolution.
Different religious organization including Jammu Kashmir Shai Federation, Anjumani Sharee Shian, Ithadul Muslimeen, Idara Nashre Uloome Ahlul-Bayt are busy with the arrangements to observe the 19th anniversary this week.
In Srinagar, streets can be seen with the posters of Imam Khomeini of various religious organizations about the date and venue of their functions.
Imam Khomeini memorial lectures will be organized at different local colleges in which number of people including New Delhi-based Cultural Councilor of the Iranian Embassy Najaffi will be the chief guest.
"It is now 19 years since the departure of Imam Khomeini, but his spiritual presence is very much alive and growing around the world", said one of the organizer.
Front ranking freedom organisation All parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is organizing a seminar to highlight the different aspects of the Imam Khomeini (R.A) and the concept of revolution in srinagar.
Similar functions are being held in Baramulla district and Central district of Budgam besides in Kargil.
Khomeini was the main force behind the 1979 Islamic revolution in Iran and initiator of an Islamic system which has turned into a major political challenge for the West.
Indian troops martyr 6 more innocent Kashmiris : Curfew in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla, Islamabad
Srinagar, June 29 (Writer-South Asia): In dispted state of Kashmir, the authorities imposed curfew in Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla and Islamabad, today, to prevent people from holding demonstrations against the killing of innocent youth by Indian troops.
Call for holding the demonstrations had been given by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
On the call of the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani, complete strike was observed in the Kashmir Valley, which will continue tomorrow. The authorities, today, had deployed large contingents of Indian police and troops in all major cities and towns of the occupied territory. The authorities had suspended the mobile phone services in north Kashmir and SMS services in the entire Valley, depriving people from getting information about the situation in different parts of the occupied territory.
Despite restrictions, people took to the streets in Qamarwari, Barzulla, Omarabad and Lawaypora areas of Srinagar and staged peaceful demonstrations. Defying curfew restrictions, people staged demonstrations in Sopore. Forceful anti-India demonstrations were held in Handwara, Kupwara, Lolab, Lalpora, Badgam, Pulwama, Pampore, wantipora, Tral, Islamabad and Baramulla areas, where Indian troops subjected the protesters to brute force, injuring several of them. A 13-year-old boy was critically injured when the troops fired upon a procession in Islamabad town.
On the other hand, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Agha Syed Hassan Al-Moosvi continued to remain under house arrest for the second consecutive day, today. Other Hurriyet leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Yasmeen Raja and Javed Ahmed Mir have been lodged at different police stations and jails.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Masarrat Aalam Butt, Mukhtar Ahmed Waza, Gh. Nabi Fai, Sheikh Yaqoob, 11th August Foundaion, NGO Federation of Kashmir, Human Rights Watch, Kashmir Amnest, Professor Nazir Ahmed Shawl, Barrister Abdul Majeed Tramboo, Muhammad Farooq Rehmani and Mahaz-e-Azadi, in their separate statements strongly condemned the killing of innocent youth in unprovoked firing of Indian troops on peaceful protestors.
APHC leader, Ghulam Ahmed Mir addressing a protest rally at Thannamandi in Rajouri deplored that Indian troops were engaged in genocide of Kashmiri people in the disputed territory.
Indian troops, in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred six more innocent Kashmir youth in Nowgam area of Kupwara. Earlier, three Indian troops were killed in an attack in the same area. (Writer-South Asia)
Indian troops martyr five more innocent Kashmiri youth
Srinagar, June 28 (Writer-South Asia): In disputed Kashmir, Indian troops in their fresh act of state terrorism, martyred five more innocent Kashmir youth in Kupwara district, today, evening.
Troops during violent military operations killed five youth in Nowgam area of the district. Earlier, three Indian troops were killed in an attack in the same area.
Kashmir, a massive march will be conducted towards Sopore town, tomorrow, to protest against the killing of four innocent youth by Indian troops.
Call for the march has been given by the front ranking freedom organisation APHC Chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani. It has been supported by the High Court Bar Association and other pro-movement leaders and organisations.
The APHC in an extraordinary meeting of its Executive Committee and General Council, chaired by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in Srinagar, today, discussed in detail the latest situation of the disputed territory. A statement issued after the meeting appealed to the people to express solidarity with the Kashmiri martyrs’ mission by massively participating in the march, tomorrow.
On the other hand, curfew continued to remain imposed in Sopore town, for the third consecutive day, today. Heavy contingents of police and paramilitary troopers had been deployed in various localities of the town and the armoured vehicles and troopers were seen patrolling the deserted streets. Protest strike was observed in Baramulla town, as well. The authorities booked Hurriyet leaders, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai and Mohammad Ayaz Akbar under draconian law, Public Safety Act.
A constable of Indian police committed suicide by consuming poisonous substances in Bemina area of Srinagar, raising the number of such deaths amongst Indian troops and police personnel in the occupied territory to 185 since January 2007.
In Toronto, on the occasion of G-20 Meet, Kashmiris and their sympathisers held a mammoth rally to protest against the gross human rights violations by Indian troops in disputed Kashmir. A resolution passed at the end of the rally urged the G20 nations to impress upon India to stop human right abuses, honour the rights of the Kashmiri people, release political prisoners, repeal black laws and withdraw its troops from disputed Kashmir.
Kashmir, complete strike was observed, today, on the first day of the 10-day programme to protest against the killing of innocent Kashmiris by Indian troops and the arrest of Hurriyet leaders.
Call for the strike had been given by the forum patronised by veteran Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani. All shops, business establishments, public and private offices, banks and courts remained closed while traffic was off the road.
Earlier, leader of the forum, Masarrat Aalam Butt, announcing the 10-day protest programme before the media men in Srinagar, said that initially people would hold Quit Kashmir Campaign as a part of the protest programme.
Giving further details, he said that special prayers would be offered on Saturday and graffiti on walls and Internet on Sunday. “The people are requested to write Go India Go on any space available to them on walls, internet or other medium,” he said.
Masarrat Aalam Butt said that male students would wear black armbands and stage protests in the premises of their educational institutes on Monday and female students would protest in the same way on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he said, peaceful demonstrations would be held in mosques at night from Maghrib to Esha prayers.
He said that on Thursday, July 01, Kashmiri women would march towards Pather Masjid in the old city area of Srinagar. Masarrat Aalam Butt maintained that on July 02 and 03 there would be complete shutdown. He appealed the people to observe complete strike on July 09 and 10. He also announced a march towards Eidgah in Srinagar on July 13, the Martyrs’ Day.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Kashmiris not to forget Son of East’s sacrifice: Dr. G.N Fai
According to Writer-South Asia, Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai, in a statement issued in Washington in connection with the 2nd martyrdom anniversary of Gazi Sheikh Abdul Aziz, reiterated to continue the mission of the martyrs till its logical end.
Dr Fai said that the martyred leader was imprisoned scores of times for the sole crime of speaking the truth, never compromising his principles and calling for justice. His efforts will remain forever a milestone in the history of the freedom struggle of Kashmir, he maintained.
Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai said that the people of Kashmir would never forget the selfless contribution and the tireless efforts of Son of East.
The Executive Director stressed the need to resolve the Kashmir dispute without further delay as it caused immense hardships to the people of South Asia in general and the people of Kashmir in particular. Kashmiris have been subjected to the worst kind of barbarous and inhuman treatment.
India should take steps to resolve the Kashmir dispute according to the aspirations of the people, he added. (Writer-South Asia)
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