From rohitrellan at aol.in Sun Nov 1 07:06:28 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 21:36:28 -0400 Subject: [Reader-list] SCHEME FOR AWARD OF FELLOWSHIPS TO OUTSTANDING PERSONS IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE Message-ID: <8CC28AADDDFDC01-10DC-43AB@webmail-m050.sysops.aol.com> GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE SCHEME FOR AWARD OF FELLOWSHIPS TO OUTSTANDING PERSONS IN THE FIELD OF CULTURE Ministry of Culture operates the Scheme for Award of Senior/Junior Fellowships for undertaking research oriented projects in the fields of Performing, Literary, Plastic Arts and New Areas related to Culture. Under this scheme, 250 (125 Senior and 125 Junior) Fellowships are awarded every year. Applications are invited from eligible persons for award of Senior/Junior Fellowships for the year 2009-10. Details of the Scheme, instructions for applicants and the application form can be downloaded from the website of the Ministry: www.indiaculture.gov.in Applications, duly completed in all respects, for Senior Fellowships may be sent to Post Box/Post Bag No. 521, General Post Office, Gol Dak-khana, New Delhi-110001 and applications for Junior Fellowships to Post Box/Post Bag No. 522, General Post Office, Gol Dak-khana, New Delhi-110001 so as to reach on or before the last date for receipt of applications. The application should be addressed to Section Officer (S&F), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, New Delhi. For any clarification, please contact Section Officer (S&F) Section at Telephone No. 011- 23389608. 31st December 2009 is the last date for receipt of applications. For more details Log on to http://indiaculture.nic.in/indiaculture/sjf-fellowship.htm From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 10:38:12 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 10:38:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Film Screenings in November In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Chandni Parekh sent a message to the members of Vikalp at Prithvi group on Facebook. -------------------- Subject: Film Screenings in November Upcoming Film Screenings: The Nigah QueerFest, Oct 23-Nov 1, Delhi Food Film Festival, Oct 26-Nov 1, Kolkata 11th Mumbai Film Festival, Oct 29-Nov 5 'My Mother India' by Safina Uberoi on NDTV 24x7, Oct 31 and Nov 1 'Architecture Ke Bheetar' by Hitesh H Sompuraa, Nov 1, Bombay 'Homegrown Revolution', Nov 5, Bombay Mumbai International Children's Film Festival, Nov 6-12 Festival of Short Films, Nov 7, Kolkata Nainital's 1st Cinema of Resistance Film Festival, Nov 7 and 8 Global Festival of Documentary Films, Nov 20-22, Noida 6th Swaralaya International Film Festival 2009, Nov 20-26, Palakkad 40th International Film Festival of India, Nov 23-Dec 3, Goa For details, check the Discussion Board. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=46819848804 - Chandni PS: Information on new screenings in November (those not listed above) will be posted on the group wall. From peter.ksmtf at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 11:20:26 2009 From: peter.ksmtf at gmail.com (T Peter) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 11:20:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fish workers to launch protest Message-ID: <3457ce860910312250j3b596477mc3abd60f61f68f44@mail.gmail.com> *By Express News Service 30 Oct 2009 12:09:00 AM IST* ‘177 fish species will be imported’ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala in the march to Parliament against the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement to be taken out in Delhi on November 11. In a press release, KSMTF said that the Indo-ASEAN FTA includes 177 fish species that will be imported into India, which will affect the entire fishing community, including women fish vendors. On November 21, World Fisheries Day, KSMTF has decided to hold a series of mass protests across the state, opposing the Marine Fisheries Bill and the Indo-ASEAN FTA. The traditional and small scale fishworkers will be drastically restricted in the pursuit of their livelihood, by the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill 2009. The Bill prevents fishworkers from going further than 12 nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions; the fish stocks are only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline. While fishing, sea currents and strong winds may force the vessel to cross 12 nautical miles - and according to the Bill, this will lead to severe imprisonment and a penalty upto 9 lakhs. The decision regarding a national agitation against the concerns regarding Marine Fisheries Bill 2009 and the Indo-ASEAN FTA will be taken at the National Fishworkers Forum General Body Meeting on December 7-9 at Kolkata, the release said. The KSMTF state committee has decided to designate November, December and January as months for fund collection, to facilitate various struggles and activities, it said. *Date:31/10/2009* *URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/31/stories/2009103161980300.htm* ------------------------------ *Fish workers to launch protest * Special Correspondent Thiruvananthapuram: The State committee of the Kerala Swantantra Malsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF), which met here on Thursday, decided to organise a series of mass protests across the State on November 21 to oppose the Marine Fisheries Bill and the Indo-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. The meeting observed that the Marine Fisheries (Regulation and Management) Bill 2009 would affect the livelihood of traditional and small scale fish workers. This, it said, represented a direct attack on the traditional and customary rights of the fishing community. Participants at the meeting noted that fishermen played a pivotal role in matters relating to national security and remained constantly vigilant while fishing in the deep seas. The Bill, they said, prevented fish workers from going further than 12 nautical miles from the coastline, when in normal conditions fish stocks were only available within a range of 50-80 km from the coastline. Crossing the 12 nautical miles limit would lead to imprisonment and a penalty up to Rs.9 lakh. Speakers at the meeting also said the Free Trade Agreement would also facilitate the import of 177 fish species, posing another threat to the livelihood of the fishing community. The KSMTF will join other major fisheries trade unions from Kerala on November 11 in a march to Parliament, opposing the FTA From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 14:22:05 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:22:05 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results Message-ID: Hi Rakesh, Hi Kshmendra, Whilst it is important to critically examine items of a survey to weed out any flaws that may misrepresent the responses, I'm not particularly looking at analysing the survey data or figuring out why A termed X eve teasing but not Y. There may be several reasons why the respondents' marked their responses the way they did, including perhaps seeing masturbation in a public place (for example) as an inappropriate/obscene act but not necessarily an attempt to engage in sexual harassment. Feel free to analyse the findings of the survey or suggest how the survey could be made less "idiotic" should you wish to. Rakesh, I believe the factors that could be taken into account when determining if a situation is harassment are whether someone has the freedom to act, feels comfortable, and is in an equal situation of power. What I have been more interested in is engaging in a dialogue with the participants on issues related to eve teasing/street sexual harassment. So, while I have used Blank Noise's 'What is eve teasing?' opinion poll to get some idea of what the participants think constitutes eve teasing as well as to get the conversation started, the focus of my workshop has been on: - Offering a space to participants to share their experiences and opinions, to ask questions, to feel empowered to take steps that might promote their mental health... In the session, we look at how society responds to eve teasing. What do some parents, neighbours, media, et al say when sexual harassment occurs? ("Why did she go out alone?" or "If she wears revealing clothes, she asks for it.") Or to prevent it? ("Come back by 8." or "Don't get too friendly with men.") How do they reinforce unhealthy attitudes that allow harassment? How do those who have been abused deal with it? What are the other ways of dealing with it? By the way, two months ago I was on a panel that discussed eve teasing at an event organised by mass media students in a college in Bombay. Another panellist (a college professor and a BJP candidate in the recently held Assembly elections) said to a female student, "What is more important? The spaghetti strap dress or yourself?" A guy raised his hand and asked "Why should women have to make so many adjustments?" A burqa-clad woman spoke soon after. Said even though she wears a burqa she's experienced various forms of eve teasing. None of this is new, really. But apparently, talking about these issues has helped. In different kinds of ways. Some were unintended. Last year, I conducted a workshop on child sexual abuse and street sexual harassment with a group of male and female students that did not get along with each other (I learnt that later). Each group seemed to have stereotyped the other leading to some hostility. While watching clips of eve teasing (sourced from media), a male participant, in a nearly choked voice, wondered "What kind of men do this sort of thing? Do they get paid for it? How can they do this to women they don't even know?" One of the feedback forms from that session wrote: "I used to think that all boys were insensitive but now I know I was wrong. All boys are not like that." I think I'm done for now. :) - Chandni PS: Murali, how would you like to "dwell on Adam teasing"? Would you like to share your experiences of being Adam teased (if any)? Or your friends'? PPS: To give you guys some context: I'm a social psychologist and I conduct workshops (mostly) in schools on sexuality education and sexual abuse. From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 14:33:39 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 14:33:39 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Chandni I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable don't even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but even within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it and even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if they have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and walk away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who is the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And how many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not the boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray herself as a porn actress. I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and would like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can be worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the same thing as the BJP candidate said. Rakesh From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 19:01:52 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:01:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Free Webinar on Trauma Healing of Genocide Survivors, Nov 5 and 10 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Details at http://bit.ly/4wuB8Y From: Sachi Maniar From: mtpCare Subject: You're Invited to a Free Webinar. New Paradigms of Hope and Healing for our Children, Ourselves, and our World. You're invited to join Dr. Lori Leyden, founder of The Grace Process International (TGPI) and Christopher Lowman, founder of Moving Toward Peace, for an enlightening and inspiring presentation about their recent success with trauma healing and heart-centered leadership training for orphaned genocide survivors in Rwanda. Time will be allotted for Q&A. *Webinar 1 * Date: Thursday, November 5, 2009 Time: 6p - 7p PST / 9p - 10p EST Reserve your seat now: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/686660609 *Webinar 2* Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Time: 3p - 4p PST / 6p - 7p EST Reserve your seat now: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/792380864 This year TGPI took its largest team of 4 volunteer trauma experts and has made substantial progress with several hundred orphans, including training 150 leaders. Their goal is to hone a replicable and scalable model that other war-torn nations can implement. From abasole at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 19:24:42 2009 From: abasole at gmail.com (Amit Basole) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:24:42 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, "talking to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not only in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. It is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by the man doing it or seeing other men do it. Amit On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > Dear Chandni > > I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable don't > even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. > > What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but even > within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were > taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it and > even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if they > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and walk > away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who > is > the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And how > many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not the > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray herself > as a porn actress. > > I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and would > like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in > addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can > be > worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the same > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > -- Amit Basole Department of Economics Thompson Hall University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 Phone: 413-665-2463 http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 19:51:03 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 19:51:03 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear all The larger change which can be brought about is only through structural change in our educational and social system. I understand this is a long term process and can't be brought about in just one day or even one month or year. However, I would be happy if people can suggest innovative and important solutions on this issue, so that we can certainly look towards it. At least we can make a start on it. Also, yes, accepted that men do stare at breasts. It's true certainly. And here, I beg to differ with Chandni. The restrictions on freedom come due to the way we are brought up (in a patriarchal society), to be afraid of men (particularly women), to ignore men, and to continue with the milieu attitude of 'sab chalta hai'. That's the reason we have corruption, that's the reason we have terrorism, that's the reason we have eve-teasing. If girls start actually acting, if the people within society take up the responsibility of making others realize that why is this uncomfortable and wrong, and if people can be won over with this, why won't it stop? And like you organize, can't we have a larger debate on what's right and wrong, and why, as defined in the social context? I had one more query, and this could be interesting. Within men folk, which has been the case in my father's times, also in our times, and I believe will continue as well, females have certainly occupied an important part of discussion. There have been discussions as well, I am sure many would recount here, on how pretty the females are, their shapes, sizes and figures, of breasts, nose, face, waist level and all that. However most of us I believe, especially those who indulge in such discussions, always take care that these things are never heard by any women folk. Now is it only that if this talk is only among boys and women never get to hear about it, it's fine? Or does this tantamount to eve-teasing? Is this wrong or natural? Where should we draw the line? And what's wrong or right or even natural about it? Rakesh From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 20:01:21 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:01:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: "And here, I beg to differ with Chandni." Just curious - what're you differing with? From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 20:07:45 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:07:45 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Sorry Chandni, forgot to mention that. This is what you typed: *Rakesh, I believe the factors that could be taken into account when determining if a situation is harassment are whether someone has the freedom to act, feels comfortable, and is in an equal situation of power.* My difference is that I believe the women have the freedom to act, though I agree they may not be in a position of power, to ensure what they want gets done. Still they have freedom to act(to stop eve teasing). And they don't do that. And so don't others, including those who have freedom and power as well. Rakesh From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 20:08:38 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:08:38 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: My assumption is that you think the women don't have the freedom to act. But if it's wrong, I am sorry and then there is no difference. From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 20:28:31 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:28:31 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: "My assumption is that you think the women don't have the freedom to act. But if it's wrong, I am sorry and then there is no difference." I strongly believe that all of us, men and women, have the freedom to do whatever we want to do. This is something I believe in about life in general. The 'you-don't-have-to-but-you-choose-to-do-it' philosophy, so to speak. With respect to the criteria I listed to label an act as harassment, think of it this way: A woman isn't asked whether she can be touched or called 'hi sexy' before those acts occur, right? She doesn't have the freedom to choose and pick the way the man can behave with her. She does, of course, have the freedom to put him in jail or yell at him or whatever else after the act has occurred. Hope the context in which I used 'freedom to act' there is clearer. Chandni From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 20:40:12 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 20:40:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Chandni jee I am happy that you put out such a context. However, what you are defining as freedom, is actually to me, not freedom, but will. A girl has in her will or in her mind a notion that a particular male should behave only in a particular way with her, and so on, for different males. That is will, and while she has the freedom to think that a male should behave in a certain way with her, she doesn't have the freedom or right to ensure that only what she thinks is the reality. So I feel that the girl's will-power has been sacrificed by such an event. For me, the real problem is how our society functions, where girls are expected to be submissive and ignore what wrong happens with them, whereby even if they feel something is wrong, they are taught to accept/ignore it and let it go that way. And men also are encouraged to continue their wrong doings as well. I won't fault only with women, even men are to be blamed for such an attitude and arrogance. Once this changes, automatically people stop misusing their freedoms, right? However, freedom can't be will. That way, we should also allow the saffron brigade to impose a ban on Valentine's day, right? Rakesh From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Sun Nov 1 21:14:36 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 21:14:36 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <803257.10041.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: subhrodip sengupta To: Amit Basole Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results Again what is the problem with showing a liking towards soebody's feature. Does liking translate into disrespect or necessary intrusion into another's space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be beautiful to  my lover only? The word only causes the problem. I am against  disaalowing somebody of the beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to  objectify this as well. Self imposing oneself as a moral guardian only increases the problem. Let me be more precise one of my best friends left me only because she felt I was too dumb. Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he had a recipe which the women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of charm that does not at least attract the wrong attraction? Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in Delhi, I have resolutely stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear womenfolk. I do not care that much for staring at boobs, but that I could not controll my emotions after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the intent of fashion is often different from activism. Because i wear something does not mean I mean it, so any kind of awareness movement or protest in the Us has not been strong, lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating gender awareness, let me share my experience with U all. Every time the matter of the conversation would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to how others ought to behave, and that would involve Rama Sita, and a hollocaust.  Onl at times we really talked about how women and men see each other, how could we set space for others---- men and women to come along. After all a public slur at one's sister is not the best greeting everybody likes in the morning! One should remember eve-teasing is only one form of harrasment, so gender abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex life or breasts or even asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching private parts in a bus, definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy and purpose, other than that of getting laid, which is just face of gender behaviour what is the purpose? And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not fear anything or anyone, ................... Bear the consequences of your action as well... What is the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt someone? What is the problem in getting slapped?   ________________________________ From: Amit Basole To: Rakesh Iyer Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta ; Jasmeen Patheja Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, "talking to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not only in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. It is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by the man doing it or seeing other men do it. Amit On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > Dear Chandni > > I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable don't > even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. > > What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but even > within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were > taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it and > even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if they > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and walk > away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who > is > the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And how > many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not the > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray herself > as a porn actress. > > I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and would > like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in > addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can > be > worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the same > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > -- Amit Basole Department of Economics Thompson Hall University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01003 Phone: 413-665-2463 http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos From machleetank at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 22:29:23 2009 From: machleetank at gmail.com (Jasmeen Patheja) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:29:23 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Talking of tees. We had created these tees for those moments where the rear view mirror is adjusted to the seated woman passenger's breasts, the mirror reads the message- 'kya dekh rahe ho?' http://blog.blanknoise.org/2006/09/t-shirts-for-autos.html#links Rakesh- are you saying that the 'freedom to act' is the same as one's right to say no? On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 7:24 PM, Amit Basole wrote: > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, > "talking > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not > only > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is > printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. > It > is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > Amit > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > wrote: > > > Dear Chandni > > > > I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable > don't > > even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. > > > > What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but > even > > within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were > > taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it > and > > even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if > they > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and > walk > > away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who > > is > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And > how > > many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not > the > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray > herself > > as a porn actress. > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and > would > > like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in > > addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can > > be > > worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the > same > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > Rakesh > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > > > -- > Amit Basole > Department of Economics > Thompson Hall > University of Massachusetts > Amherst, MA 01003 > Phone: 413-665-2463 > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > -- http:blog.blanknoise.org From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 22:48:07 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:48:07 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: @ Jasmeen, If you mean to say they have a right to protest against a particular way of behavior of men, yes they have the right to protest. So, in totality, if 'right to say no' means that they a right to say 'No to Eve-Teasing' and complain about it or protest against it, or fight against it, yes they have the freedom to act. But if it means banning someone from seeing a woman at all (for males), I am sorry. Because misuse of freedom and punishment for doing so is better to me, rather than complete banning of freedom. @ Subhrodip Also, the idea of slapping someone is something I am against, for primarily two reasons. Primarily, we should hate the evil, not the evil-doer, for hating the latter doesn't help. That way, we have to keep hating so many people, and then they would be considered hopeless, and the only way out then to solve the problem then is to finish off such people. Already, we have Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Maoists, women, men to be finished off because of this reason or that (not to forget, South Indians, North Indians, UP & Bihar bhaiyaas, Bengali Brahmans, Tamil Iyers, Kannada Lingayats, and the list goes on.....). All this hardly solves the problem, except if finishing off the human race itself is your argument, which nobody will accept unfortunately. The other objective is from the point of view of freedom. The reason eve-teasing is wrong is because it acts as a mental unfreedom (as Amartya Sen calls it) by forcing people to behave differently from what they would have liked actually. For example, I can't take a particular route (if I were a girl, that is) if boys present on that route whistle and make comments and even talk to my breasts. Certainly in that sense it's an unfreedom. Which is why eve-teasing should certainly be punished. And most importantly, this mental unfreedom means that for some girls, who would like their breasts to be seen (as a hypothetical example), this is not a problem. While for others, yes it is a problem. The slapping in that sense is also an unfreedom. Just because someone liked a part of a girl, he/she is going to get a tight slap. This can't be the first step in my opinion. Why not the girl telling the boy to mind his own business as she feels uncomfortable? Who knows, this can make the boy stop doing it and concentrate somewhere else? (I know culturally this sounds ridiculous, but then why not? There were many things which when initially introduced, did seem ridiculous; they don't seem so now). Anyways, with the kind of society we have, a slap will never work. By the way, if one really wishes to improve this outlook, it may be done well by some proper things which our children can be educated about at least. Why not do that? At least they can become mature adults and not indulge in such acts. And also, enforce the law machinery properly, and force the police to do the same. Rakesh From indersalim at gmail.com Sun Nov 1 23:38:07 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Sun, 1 Nov 2009 23:38:07 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Om Kulsum: Modern Legend of ARAB MUSEquee. Message-ID: <47e122a70911011008y1e8604dexc166198807a917f8@mail.gmail.com> Om (or Oum, Omm, Omme, Oom, Um, Umm) Kalsoum (or Kalsum, Kaltsoum, Kalthoum, Kalthum, Kalthoom, Khalsoum, Khalsum, Khalthoum, Khalthum, Kaltoum, Kolsoum, Kolsum, Ko...v Her funeral , in 1975, was attended by over 4 million mourners—one of the largest gatherings in history A typical Umm Kulthum concert consisted of the performance of two or three songs over a period of three to six hours A typical improvisatory technique of hers was to repeat a single phrase or sentence of a song's lyrics over and over, subtly altering the emotive emphasis and intensity each time to bring her audiences into a euphoric and ecstatic state, and was considered to "have never sung a line the same way twice a sample of her music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS1xMOo8LqY&feature=PlayList&p=1C547DCD41EB94DF&index=0&playnext=1 belly dancers on her Ali Laila http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqIkq49Jal0&feature=related there is lot to hear and lot to see.... just surf... with love is From pkray11 at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 01:22:04 2009 From: pkray11 at gmail.com (prakash ray) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 01:22:04 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?Trinamul_=91role=92_in_Rajdhani_bl?= =?windows-1252?q?ockade?= Message-ID: <98f331e00911011152o34e896fdvdc29fce2c9abc78e@mail.gmail.com> hi, here is the text of a news report published in Telegraph today: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091101/jsp/bengal/story_11685508.jsp PKR Trinamul ‘role’ in Rajdhani blockade BARUN GHOSH A Rajdhani window smashed during the blockade Calcutta, Oct. 31: A Trinamul Congress probe has found the involvement of several party activists in Tuesday’s Raj-dhani blockade, suggesting that either Mamata Banerjee’s efforts to distance herself from the Maoists had not percolated to the grassroots or they are too petrified to snap ties with the rebels. The party’s Jhargram unit had conducted the probe at the instance of state leaders following internal reports that many Trinamul activists had joined the siege at Banstala. “Banstala comes under the Trinamul-controlled Bandgora gram panchayat and many of our supporters were with the People’s Committee (Against Police Atrocities) during the siege,” said Gauranga Pradhan, a Trinamul general secretary from West Midnapore. The probe report has been sent to district leaders in Midnapore town and state leaders in Calcutta, he added. West Midnapore Trinamul president Mrigen Maity refused to reveal the contents of the report but admitted that “a considerable number of lower-level party workers were with the People’s Committee under pressure”. “Party members and workers are helpless in the Jhargram, Binpur, Belpahari and Salboni areas of West Midnapore. The People’s Committee has been using them as a shield to step up their anti-government movement. Tell me, what will our activists do in the face of constant threats?” he asked. State Trinamul leaders preferred not to comment on the report. “I am not aware of it. I don’t know if it has been sent to Mamatadi (Mamata Banerjee),” said state party president Subrata Bakshi. According to a section of Trinamul leaders, besides party activists’ involvement in the blockade, three other factors have added fuel to the CPM campaign to “establish our links with the committee”. First, East Midnapore district president and junior central minister Sisir Adhikari’s public admission that he was aware in advance of the impending train blockade. “Being a party veteran from East Midnapore, Sisirda should not have made such a statement. CPM leaders, including the chief minister, have cited it as proof of our links with the committee,” said a Trinamul vice-president. Second, the role played by two Naxalite leaders now associated with Mamata to end the siege. “The blockade would have lasted longer had they not initiated a dialogue with the committee,” said a Trinamul leader from south Calcutta. These Naxalites had joined Mamata’s Save Farmland Committee during the Singur-Nandigram movement. “But they have been calling the shots in the organisation of late with Mamata’s support,” alleged a Trinamul secretary from North 24-Parganas. Finally, the railways’ failure to lodge an FIR naming those who had led the blockade. Railway minister Mamata has been accused of trying to shield the culprits. From meera.rizvi at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 09:13:29 2009 From: meera.rizvi at gmail.com (Meera Rizvi) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 09:13:29 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <803257.10041.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> <803257.10041.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> Dear Subhrodip, There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. Most women, and I speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even if they do not return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These situations depict contempt rather than admiration. So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and someone rides their motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing even though they may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a lonely bus stop at a late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it makes most women nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when one was with a gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, it would be amusing. So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. Regards, Meera On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > From: subhrodip sengupta > To: Amit Basole > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > > Again what is the problem with showing a liking towards soebody's feature. > Does liking translate into disrespect or necessary intrusion into another's > space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be beautiful to my lover only? > The word only causes the problem. I am against disaalowing somebody of the > beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to objectify this as well. Self > imposing oneself as a moral guardian only increases the problem. Let me be > more precise one of my best friends left me only because she felt I was too > dumb. > Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he had a recipe which the > women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of charm that does not at > least attract the wrong attraction? > Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in Delhi, I have resolutely > stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear womenfolk. I do not care > that much for staring at boobs, but that I could not controll my emotions > after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the intent of fashion is often > different from activism. Because i wear something does not mean I mean it, > so any kind of awareness movement or protest in the Us has not been strong, > lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating gender awareness, let me > share my experience with U all. Every time the matter of the conversation > would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to how others ought to behave, > and that would involve Rama Sita, and a hollocaust. Onl at times we really > talked about how women and men see each other, how could we set space for > others---- men and women to come along. After all a public slur at one's > sister is not the best greeting everybody likes in the morning! > One should remember eve-teasing is only one form of harrasment, so gender > abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex life or breasts or even > asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching private parts in a bus, > definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy and purpose, other than that > of getting laid, which is just face of gender behaviour what is the purpose? > And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not fear anything or anyone, > ................... Bear the consequences of your action as well... What is > the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt someone? What is the problem > in getting slapped? > > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Amit Basole > To: Rakesh Iyer > Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta < > hemanginig at gmail.com>; Jasmeen Patheja > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, > "talking > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not > only > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is > printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. > It > is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > Amit > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > wrote: > > > Dear Chandni > > > > I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable > don't > > even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. > > > > What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but > even > > within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were > > taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it > and > > even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if > they > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and > walk > > away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who > > is > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And > how > > many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not > the > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray > herself > > as a porn actress. > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and > would > > like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in > > addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can > > be > > worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the > same > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > Rakesh > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > > -- > Amit Basole > Department of Economics > Thompson Hall > University of Massachusetts > Amherst, MA 01003 > Phone: 413-665-2463 > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > ________________________________ > Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > > Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. > http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: -- Meera From rahulroy63 at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 11:27:43 2009 From: rahulroy63 at gmail.com (Rahul Roy) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 11:27:43 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [DFA NewsLetter] Fwd: Screening of a film by Anupama Srinivasan Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: anupama srinivasan Date: Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 12:12 PM Subject: [CACDelhi] Screening of my film at IIC To: cacdelhi at yahoogroups.co.in Dear Friends, You are cordially invited to the screening of my film 'I Wonder...' on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 at India International Centre (IIC) at 6:30 pm Below are the synopsis etc. Hope to see you there, cheers Anupama I Wonderů (70 min, 2009) Synopsis The film is a journey with children from rural parts of Rajasthan, Sikkim and Tamil Nadu as they traverse through school, home and life. What does school mean to children? What kind of learning takes place within the school and outside it? It looks at their everyday experiences, inviting all to ponder on what education is, what it could beů and what it need not be. Credits Script, Camera, Editing & Direction: Anu Srinivasan Sound Mixing: Asheesh Pandya Location Sound: Anu Srinivasan, Pushpa Rawat Assistant Directors: Pushpa Rawat, Preethi Pushkarni Post Production Consultant: T.N. Uma Devi Produced by PSBT Festivals Open Frame 2009, New Delhi; Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival 2009 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Please DO NOT REPLY to the sender. To contact the MODERATOR: delhifilmarchive [at] gmail.com To UNSUBSCRIBE: send an email to delhifilmarchive-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com More OPTIONS are on the web: http://groups.google.com/group/delhifilmarchive Our WEBSITE: www.delhifilmarchive.org -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Mon Nov 2 14:57:09 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:57:09 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <334807.56875.qm@web94708.mail.in2.yahoo.com> I did not ask woman to slap insteAD I urged the teaser to take the slap and absorb the hurt....... ________________________________ From: Rakesh Iyer To: Jasmeen Patheja Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta ; jasmeen.patheja at gmail.com Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 10:48:07 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results @ Jasmeen, If you mean to say they have a right to protest against a particular way of behavior of men, yes they have the right to protest. So, in totality,  if 'right to say no' means that they a right to say 'No to Eve-Teasing' and complain about it or protest against it, or fight against it, yes they have the freedom to act. But if it means banning someone from seeing a woman at all (for males), I am sorry. Because misuse of freedom and punishment for doing so is better to me, rather than complete banning of freedom. @ Subhrodip Also, the idea of slapping someone is something I am against, for primarily two reasons. Primarily, we should hate the evil, not the evil-doer, for hating the latter doesn't help. That way, we have to keep hating so many people, and then they would be considered hopeless, and the only way out then to solve the problem then is to finish off such people. Already, we have Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Maoists, women, men to be finished off because of this reason or that (not to forget, South Indians, North Indians, UP & Bihar bhaiyaas, Bengali Brahmans, Tamil Iyers, Kannada Lingayats, and the list goes on.....). All this hardly solves the problem, except if finishing off the human race itself is your argument, which nobody will accept unfortunately. The other objective is from the point of view of freedom. The reason eve-teasing is wrong is because it acts as a mental unfreedom (as Amartya Sen calls it) by forcing people to behave differently from what they would have liked actually. For example, I can't take a particular route (if I were a girl, that is) if boys present on that route whistle and make comments and even talk to my breasts. Certainly in that sense it's an unfreedom. Which is why eve-teasing should certainly be punished. And most importantly, this mental unfreedom means that for some girls, who would like their breasts to be seen (as a hypothetical example), this is not a problem. While for others, yes it is a problem. The slapping in that sense is also an unfreedom. Just because someone liked a part of a girl, he/she is going to get a tight slap. This can't be the first step in my opinion. Why not the girl telling the boy to mind his own business as she feels uncomfortable? Who knows, this can make the boy stop doing it and concentrate somewhere else? (I know culturally this sounds ridiculous, but then why not? There were many things which when initially introduced, did seem ridiculous; they don't seem so now). Anyways, with the kind of society we have, a slap will never work. By the way, if one really wishes to improve this outlook, it may be done well by some proper things which our children can be educated about at least. Why not do that? At least they can become mature adults and not indulge in such acts. And also, enforce the law machinery properly, and force the police to do the same. Rakesh _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> Add whatever you love to the Yahoo! India homepage. Try now! http://in.yahoo.com/trynew From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Mon Nov 2 14:55:27 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:55:27 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <752279.76488.qm@web94705.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Back-slapping is not tight slapping, unless one is really daring. It's slapping the buttocks.  Some more disguised methods are rubbing poking and resting............................... ________________________________ From: Rakesh Iyer To: Jasmeen Patheja Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta ; jasmeen.patheja at gmail.com Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 10:48:07 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results @ Jasmeen, If you mean to say they have a right to protest against a particular way of behavior of men, yes they have the right to protest. So, in totality,  if 'right to say no' means that they a right to say 'No to Eve-Teasing' and complain about it or protest against it, or fight against it, yes they have the freedom to act. But if it means banning someone from seeing a woman at all (for males), I am sorry. Because misuse of freedom and punishment for doing so is better to me, rather than complete banning of freedom. @ Subhrodip Also, the idea of slapping someone is something I am against, for primarily two reasons. Primarily, we should hate the evil, not the evil-doer, for hating the latter doesn't help. That way, we have to keep hating so many people, and then they would be considered hopeless, and the only way out then to solve the problem then is to finish off such people. Already, we have Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Maoists, women, men to be finished off because of this reason or that (not to forget, South Indians, North Indians, UP & Bihar bhaiyaas, Bengali Brahmans, Tamil Iyers, Kannada Lingayats, and the list goes on.....). All this hardly solves the problem, except if finishing off the human race itself is your argument, which nobody will accept unfortunately. The other objective is from the point of view of freedom. The reason eve-teasing is wrong is because it acts as a mental unfreedom (as Amartya Sen calls it) by forcing people to behave differently from what they would have liked actually. For example, I can't take a particular route (if I were a girl, that is) if boys present on that route whistle and make comments and even talk to my breasts. Certainly in that sense it's an unfreedom. Which is why eve-teasing should certainly be punished. And most importantly, this mental unfreedom means that for some girls, who would like their breasts to be seen (as a hypothetical example), this is not a problem. While for others, yes it is a problem. The slapping in that sense is also an unfreedom. Just because someone liked a part of a girl, he/she is going to get a tight slap. This can't be the first step in my opinion. Why not the girl telling the boy to mind his own business as she feels uncomfortable? Who knows, this can make the boy stop doing it and concentrate somewhere else? (I know culturally this sounds ridiculous, but then why not? There were many things which when initially introduced, did seem ridiculous; they don't seem so now). Anyways, with the kind of society we have, a slap will never work. By the way, if one really wishes to improve this outlook, it may be done well by some proper things which our children can be educated about at least. Why not do that? At least they can become mature adults and not indulge in such acts. And also, enforce the law machinery properly, and force the police to do the same. Rakesh _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos From sudeep.ks at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 15:02:25 2009 From: sudeep.ks at gmail.com (Sudeep K S) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:02:25 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Rakesh, Shuddha and others, What I see in this whole 'love jihad' episode is just plain envy. As per Indian concepts, the women (and men) find Muslims more handsome. Some women even go on to marry Muslims, and some even become Muslims. How can the Hindu men tolerate all this nonsense? On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 7:21 PM, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > Dear Shuddha > > I wish that love-jihad would have been just a move whereby zealots would > have been proving that their own religion is superior and propagating love, > but it's simply an epitome of an impending disaster as I see it, and here's > why: > > 1) First of all, this love-jihad stories are coming out of Kerala and > Karnataka. One parent has already filed case of his daughter having > possibly > been abducted or seduced by someone who is a Muslim and with the > possibility > of her being converted to Muslim, and the girl and her sons/daughters being > used for Jihad. > Oh that is a very valid point. As if any father or mother would tolerate their daughter falling in love with a Muslim. (Unless of course, that Muslim is Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan or Saif Ali Khan. I don't know if their in-laws have really had an issue!) Had it been someone from outside one's caste, one could have just beaten them up if they had enough man power. > Frankly, I don't see what's good in that. And frankly, I don't see what is bad in that. > Even if the situation were > reversed and a Muslim girl were attending RSS shakhas or even Sri Rama > Senas > and doing what allegedly Pragya Singh has done, it could simply be an > impending disaster we are looking at. Thankfully, Muslim girls have not lost all their senses! And this would lead to even riots of a > more convoluted and distressing kind, for now there would be easily riots > sparked everywhere in the name of 'seducing other people's girls'. > Yes that precisely seems to be the aim of the Hindu outfits who are making this an issue. > By the way, Shuddha, you may take a look at the propaganda VHP used in > Gujarat prior to 2002 pogrom, to know what subsequently happened. One of > the > VHP's propaganda was that the Muslims simply abduct Hindu girls, convert > them to Islam forcibly, and increase their population through this method. > The end result is that irrespective of whether Modi loses or not, everybody > knows there is hardly any remorse left for the butchering of Muslims in > post-Godhra violence, among the majority of Gujarati civil society. > Is that some kind of a veiled threat? That "Remember what happened in Gujarat -- this is what you would get if we ignore such hate propaganda by VHP and the likes"? 2) The love jihad focuses on only seducing women of different religions. > Where does this love jihad go when trying to seduce men of different > religions? > How do you know this for sure? This statement comes from the assumption that there is organized, planned seduction of women that happens as part of a jihad, which itself sounds entirely baseless to me. > The fact is that in a patriarchal society like India, where the girl is > considered a symbol of 'izzat' or honor, this is what is going to happen, > whereby any kind of love-jihad is going to focus on only seducing girls. > There certainly is not going to be any seduction of boys. > Yes -- It does not take a Ph.D. to understand how the love jihad hulla is all about "seducing women and making them convert". This allegation is not only anti-Muslim but it is also also extremely anti-women, as it is under the presumption that women are objects who can be seduced, converted, raped or whatever. What's more, the same boy may now be seducing more and more girls to > propagate jihad. Is this the love you are supporting? And tomorrow if the > women were to act as suicide bombers, whose cause will that serve? > You really seem to be really knowledgable about this whole business, boss. I think you should give your valuable data to police or judiciary rather than sit here and send these mails! [Read this one also: The ‘Love Jehad’ that wasn’t: *"It is about the disappearance of Anitha, of Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada, who was supposed to have been abducted by love jeahadis and was at the centre of Sangh Parivar campaign. She was alleged to be among the 3000 Hindu girls who fell to the jehadis. The Dakshina Kannada police have discovered that she fell victim to the love jehad of a person called Mohan kumar, a serial killer, who is responsible for the murder of 19 girls from the Kasaroge- S.Kananda districts. It is reported by police that this man has been abducting women with offer of marriage and after raping them killed them offering cyanide tablets that was supposed to be for avoiding pregnancy."*] Regards Sudeep From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Mon Nov 2 15:10:11 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:10:11 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> <803257.10041.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <908007.31486.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Beyond this list; Where I grew up, and at many other places, towns, villages, people have taken this too far.  Eve-teasing is a tool of aggression as well as a status symbol in a different way.... He was walking close to my house, had an eye on me. People in a group pass by enjoying among themselves....."those boys passed remarks about me!" On the other hand some women are of no-nonsense type and feel unnerved at such cases..... Thats a point I'd suggest to take note at.  Friendly playing is different from the point of criminal bullying, where the biggest flaw would be try and inject good sense, as if such an injection were available in market! ________________________________ From: Meera Rizvi To: subhrodip sengupta Cc: Readers list Yousuf Sarai. Sent: Mon, 2 November, 2009 9:13:29 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results Dear Subhrodip, There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. Most women, and I speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even if they do not return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These situations depict contempt rather than admiration. So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and someone rides their motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing even though they may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a lonely bus stop at a late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it makes most women nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when one was with a gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, it would be amusing. So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. Regards, Meera   On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: > > > >----- Forwarded Message ---- >From: subhrodip sengupta >To: Amit Basole >Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM >Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > >Again what is the problem with showing a liking towards soebody's feature. >Does liking translate into disrespect or necessary intrusion into another's space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be beautiful to  my lover only? >The word only causes the problem. I am against  disaalowing somebody of the beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to  objectify this as well. Self imposing oneself as a moral guardian only increases the problem. Let me be more precise one of my best friends left me only because she felt I was too dumb. >Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he had a recipe which the women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of charm that does not at least attract the wrong attraction? >Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in Delhi, I have resolutely stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear womenfolk. I do not care that much for staring at boobs, but that I could not controll my emotions after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the intent of fashion is often different from activism. Because i wear something does not mean I mean it, so any kind of awareness movement or protest in the Us has not been strong, lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating gender awareness, let me share my experience with U all. Every time the matter of the conversation would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to how others ought to behave, and that would involve Rama Sita, and a hollocaust.  Onl at times we really talked about how women and men see each other, how could we set space for others---- men and women to come along. After all a public slur at one's sister is not the best greeting everybody likes in the morning! >One should remember eve-teasing is only one form of harrasment, so gender abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex life or breasts or even asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching private parts in a bus, definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy and purpose, other than that of getting laid, which is just face of gender behaviour what is the purpose? And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not fear anything or anyone, ................... Bear the consequences of your action as well... What is the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt someone? What is the problem in getting slapped? > > > > > >________________________________ >From: Amit Basole >To: Rakesh Iyer >Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta ; Jasmeen Patheja >Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM >Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > >Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, "talking >to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not only >in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US >where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is >printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. It >is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by >the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > >Amit > >On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > >> Dear Chandni >> >> I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable don't >> even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society >> doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. >> >> What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but even >> within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were >> taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it and >> even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if they >> have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and walk >> away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone who >> is >> the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And how >> many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an attempt? >> >> And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not the >> boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray herself >> as a porn actress. >> >> I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and would >> like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in >> addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations can >> be >> worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the same >> thing as the BJP candidate said. >> >> Rakesh >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: >> > > > >-- >Amit Basole >Department of Economics >Thompson Hall >University of Massachusetts >Amherst, MA 01003 >Phone: 413-665-2463 >http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ >blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ >_________________________________________ >reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >Critiques & Collaborations >To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. >To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >List archive: >________________________________ >Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > >     Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos >_________________________________________ >reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >Critiques & Collaborations >To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. >To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >List archive: -- Meera Try the new Yahoo! India Homepage. Click here. http://in.yahoo.com/trynew From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 15:26:45 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:26:45 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Sudeep I am sorry, but I have lost the habit of making mockery (by using sarcasm) of someone else's statements to prove my point, at least to an extent. Having said that, my response (as this was for my mail, as opposed to Shuddha's or someone else's): 1) First, while I do know about this so-called 'envy factor', I am not a part of it. That way, I have to start envying other boys as well (be it Hindu/Muslim/Christian). And that way I won't have any girl to marry. And I have better things in life than to worry about this. So I request you not to make generalized presumptions like this. 2) I don't know about Aamir, but I heard from some friends that Shahrukh's in-laws did have an issue, and he had to sort that out. Anyways, it's not for me to comment. And as for Hindu in-laws having or not-having an issue, it's more due to social fear/pressure and religious propaganda ingrained into human beings which ensures that inter-caste or inter-religious marriages are opposed. I have one more request to make: If you wish to say that what I have said is known to you already, please don't denigrate it or make fun of it. 3) You are referring to a 'veiled threat' which I made. I only wish to say that the existence of the VHP is a reality and not a bad dream, so people should be careful of it. What has to be done is organize not only a larger debate across the society towards acceptance of inter-religious and inter-caste marriages, but the understanding of the opposition towards these and putting forth points and reasons as to why these can/can't be accepted. That's the only way to counter the VHP propaganda, as opposed to ignoring them. After all, we ignore a lot of things, the police fake encounters, the corruption around us, and other wrong things. What's the use finally? It's ultimately we who suffer, right? In that sense, if it's a veiled threat, yes, unfortunate though it is, that's what I mean. 4) Yes, the statement which sounded baseless to you was based on an assumption, which I had stated later. I request you to read this as well, which I sent later (as reply to Mr. Venu): *You are right. I should have made it clear in my reply that I have assumed for once that the reports are true. Of course, they can be baseless. And considering how the Indian police operates, they can be certainly baseless. Hence, my apologies for the same.* 5) It's not me who assumes that women are objects. Continuing with the assumption I made (which is false and baseless in your words, and I accept), I made the other arguments. And considering that we have a patriarchal society, I made the argument that it's the girls who will be seduced, for this would further instigate communal trouble, and achieve the objectives the jihadis in mind. However, since you have put the article stating that my assumption is baseless, this doesn't come at all into the picture. But then again, I had already stated that my assumption could be baseless or wrong. Hence, I request you to kindly read the previous mails as well before replying, and also promise I will also take care before making assumptions. While believing in something passionately is fine, sarcasm and anger never help in discussions or mails. (That's what I have come to learn on Sarai at least). I also thank you, for putting the article you sent. I have already read it. With love Rakesh From c.anupam at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 16:28:34 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:28:34 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911020258k1f20fccagbcc5094794fb2c8f@mail.gmail.com> wow, now we have an indian concept of choosing our partners..i dont know what it means. i mean what can one do if, miya and biwa are razzi. as for the murders of women, would you call jack the ripper -- the first love jehadist? you know what Hindu men can do who are heartbroken as it sounds like from what most of the people are talking about it. they should join FOSLA (Frustrated One Sided Lovers' Association). All Indian towns and cities have this club. what do u say? -Anupam On 11/2/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > Dear Sudeep > > I am sorry, but I have lost the habit of making mockery (by using sarcasm) > of someone else's statements to prove my point, at least to an extent. > Having said that, my response (as this was for my mail, as opposed to > Shuddha's or someone else's): > > 1) First, while I do know about this so-called 'envy factor', I am not a > part of it. That way, I have to start envying other boys as well (be it > Hindu/Muslim/Christian). And that way I won't have any girl to marry. And I > have better things in life than to worry about this. > > So I request you not to make generalized presumptions like this. > > 2) I don't know about Aamir, but I heard from some friends that Shahrukh's > in-laws did have an issue, and he had to sort that out. Anyways, it's not > for me to comment. > > And as for Hindu in-laws having or not-having an issue, it's more due to > social fear/pressure and religious propaganda ingrained into human beings > which ensures that inter-caste or inter-religious marriages are opposed. > > I have one more request to make: If you wish to say that what I have said is > known to you already, please don't denigrate it or make fun of it. > > 3) You are referring to a 'veiled threat' which I made. I only wish to say > that the existence of the VHP is a reality and not a bad dream, so people > should be careful of it. What has to be done is organize not only a larger > debate across the society towards acceptance of inter-religious and > inter-caste marriages, but the understanding of the opposition towards these > and putting forth points and reasons as to why these can/can't be accepted. > > That's the only way to counter the VHP propaganda, as opposed to ignoring > them. After all, we ignore a lot of things, the police fake encounters, the > corruption around us, and other wrong things. What's the use finally? It's > ultimately we who suffer, right? > > In that sense, if it's a veiled threat, yes, unfortunate though it is, > that's what I mean. > > 4) Yes, the statement which sounded baseless to you was based on an > assumption, which I had stated later. I request you to read this as well, > which I sent later (as reply to Mr. Venu): > > *You are right. I should have made it clear in my reply that I have assumed > for once that the reports are true. Of course, they can be baseless. And > considering how the Indian police operates, they can be certainly baseless. > Hence, my apologies for the same.* > > 5) It's not me who assumes that women are objects. Continuing with the > assumption I made (which is false and baseless in your words, and I accept), > I made the other arguments. And considering that we have a patriarchal > society, I made the argument that it's the girls who will be seduced, for > this would further instigate communal trouble, and achieve the objectives > the jihadis in mind. > > However, since you have put the article stating that my assumption is > baseless, this doesn't come at all into the picture. But then again, I had > already stated that my assumption could be baseless or wrong. > > Hence, I request you to kindly read the previous mails as well before > replying, and also promise I will also take care before making assumptions. > While believing in something passionately is fine, sarcasm and anger never > help in discussions or mails. (That's what I have come to learn on Sarai at > least). > > I also thank you, for putting the article you sent. I have already read it. > > With love > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From pawan.durani at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 17:22:12 2009 From: pawan.durani at gmail.com (Pawan Durani) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:22:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: <341380d00911020258k1f20fccagbcc5094794fb2c8f@mail.gmail.com> References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> <341380d00911020258k1f20fccagbcc5094794fb2c8f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6b79f1a70911020352t4351b3efta69c81fc4af2c498@mail.gmail.com> Hindu, Sikh bodies demand restoration of kidnaped girl to parents Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Nov 1: The prominent members of Sikh and Hindu community today expressed grave concern over the kidnapping of a Sikh girl at Bemina Srinagar and her forcible conversion to Islam. They outrightly denied the reports that the girl had eloped willingly with the Muslim youth. Talking to mediapersons here S Mohinder Singh president Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), S Charanjit Singh Khalsa, state secretary, BJP, incharge Kashmir, Mohinder Pal Singh Pandu, Virender Jit Singh, chairman National Sikh Front, S Kuldeep Singh of Sikh Missionary, S Narinder Singh Nana, ex president AISSF, Pawan Kohli of Sangarsh Samiti and Rajesh Kesri accused the administration and police of siding with the kidnappers. Apprehending foul play by administration and police Khalsa said that girl’s parents were not allowed to meet her who is in Women’ Cell at Srinagar. Even the three Sikh women cops who were posted in the Women’s Cell have been shifted from there under a conspiracy, he added. Demanding that the girl along with her parents be shifted to Jammu under security, Mohinder Singh said that the girl has been threatened that if she gives a statement against her kidnapper her parents will be gunned down. Giving an ultimatum of shifting the girl to Jammu within 24 hours, he warned that in case Government failed to restore the girl to her parents the entire Sikh and Hindu community will come to streets in Jammu. Meanwhile Sikh Sangat Kashmir (SSK), an amalgam of various Sikh organizations of the Valley today warned that they will observe symbolic protest on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji against the marriage of a local Sikh woman with a Muslim youth recently. Talking to mediapersons here today, provincial president Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) Charan Singh Bali said the Sikhs of Valley have decided to observe symbolic protest on the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji tomorrow. Bali said the Sikh community of the Valley was shocked over the unreligious and social happenings as local Sikh girl had married a Muslim youth after converting to Islam. The members of Sikh community will wear black badges at the various gurudwaras of the Valley in protest. However, he said the community will not take out demonstrations as "we appeal to the Sikh masses of the State to remain cool and calm at this testing time". On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 4:28 PM, anupam chakravartty wrote: > wow, now we have an indian concept of choosing our partners..i dont > know what it means. i mean what can one do if, miya and biwa are > razzi. as for the murders of women, would you call jack the ripper -- > the first love jehadist? > > you know what Hindu men can do who are heartbroken as it sounds like > from what most of the people are talking about it. they should join > FOSLA (Frustrated One Sided Lovers' Association). All Indian towns and > cities have this club. what do u say? > > -Anupam > > On 11/2/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: >> Dear Sudeep >> >> I am sorry,  but I have lost the habit of  making mockery (by using sarcasm) >> of someone else's statements to prove my point, at least to an extent. >> Having said that, my response (as this was for my mail, as opposed to >> Shuddha's or someone else's): >> >> 1) First, while I do know about this so-called 'envy factor', I am not a >> part of it. That way, I have to start envying other boys as well (be it >> Hindu/Muslim/Christian). And that way I won't have any girl to marry. And I >> have better things in life than to worry about this. >> >> So I request you not to make generalized presumptions like this. >> >> 2) I don't know about Aamir, but I heard from some friends that Shahrukh's >> in-laws did have an issue, and he had to sort that out. Anyways, it's not >> for me to comment. >> >> And as for Hindu in-laws having or not-having an issue, it's more due to >> social fear/pressure and religious propaganda ingrained into human beings >> which ensures that inter-caste or inter-religious marriages are opposed. >> >> I have one more request to make: If you wish to say that what I have said is >> known to you already, please don't denigrate it or make fun of it. >> >> 3) You are referring to a 'veiled threat' which I made. I only wish to say >> that the existence of the VHP is a reality and not a bad dream, so people >> should be careful of it. What has to be done is organize not only a larger >> debate across the society towards acceptance of inter-religious and >> inter-caste marriages, but the understanding of the opposition towards these >> and putting forth points and reasons as to why these can/can't be accepted. >> >> That's the only way to counter the VHP propaganda, as opposed to ignoring >> them. After all, we ignore a lot of things, the police fake encounters, the >> corruption around us, and other wrong things. What's the use finally? It's >> ultimately we who suffer, right? >> >> In that sense, if it's a veiled threat, yes, unfortunate though it is, >> that's what I mean. >> >> 4) Yes, the statement which sounded baseless to you was based on an >> assumption, which I had stated later. I request you to read this as well, >> which I sent later (as reply to Mr. Venu): >> >> *You are right. I should have made it clear in my reply that I have assumed >> for once that the reports are true. Of course, they can be baseless. And >> considering how the Indian police operates, they can be certainly baseless. >> Hence, my apologies for the same.* >> >> 5) It's not me who assumes that women are objects. Continuing with the >> assumption I made (which is false and baseless in your words, and I accept), >> I made the other arguments. And considering that we have a patriarchal >> society, I made the argument that it's the girls who will be seduced, for >> this would further instigate communal trouble, and achieve the objectives >> the jihadis in mind. >> >> However, since you have put the article stating that my assumption is >> baseless, this doesn't come at all into the picture. But then again, I had >> already stated that my assumption could be baseless or wrong. >> >> Hence, I request you to kindly read the previous mails as well before >> replying, and also promise I will also take care before making assumptions. >> While believing in something passionately is fine, sarcasm and anger never >> help in discussions or mails.  (That's what I have come to learn on Sarai at >> least). >> >> I also thank you, for putting the article you sent. I have already read it. >> >> With love >> >> Rakesh >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe >> in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 17:31:40 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:31:40 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: <6b79f1a70911020352t4351b3efta69c81fc4af2c498@mail.gmail.com> References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> <341380d00911020258k1f20fccagbcc5094794fb2c8f@mail.gmail.com> <6b79f1a70911020352t4351b3efta69c81fc4af2c498@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Pawan jee (and all) Everybody has a democratic right to protest, and that should be left. However, I would suggest that inter-religious marriages should not be termed as an unreligious thing, unless of course religion is too conservative and narrow minded. And even this narrow-mindedness of religion should be debated, in my belief. The reason to protest is fine if the girl indeed has been forcibly converted, and there can be no problems or issues if there has to be an inquiry. But if it does turn out that the girl has undertaken the marriage willingly, the Sikh community should accept it. I feel saddened that in an era where interdependency has taken new forms, the Sikh community (so also others) should think that of self-sufficiency in this kind of way (which is pre-judiced). It is certainly unfortunate. An inter-religious marriage can actually be used in a very constructive way by ensuring that two religious sects (or even entire religions) get their joint candidates selected for democratically contested posts, and thereby ensure that work will get done. And from an intrinsic point of view, it should certainly be the case that two people should have the freedom to judge for themselves whether they wish to marry or not. Let not social pressures and prejudices come in the way of a relationship which is an epitome of love, is all I can say. Love is after all, the true meaning of God. (And this is for everyone, lest you take it as only for you) Life is too short to be spent with hate in our minds. Rakesh From c.anupam at gmail.com Mon Nov 2 17:37:46 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:37:46 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: References: <1f9180970910110401qffe2576h975b9be905517e88@mail.gmail.com> <7271ec560910230118x759ede47p1690070e62367c6c@mail.gmail.com> <341380d00911020258k1f20fccagbcc5094794fb2c8f@mail.gmail.com> <6b79f1a70911020352t4351b3efta69c81fc4af2c498@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911020407l749e8164mf919d6963f892f15@mail.gmail.com> Dear Pawan jee, can we have the parents saying something about the marriage? why is a SAD member issuing press statements and who is this boy? what are his parents saying? a news report about an allegation of eloping boys and girls should at least have the version of the parents. what kind of reportage is this? anupam On 11/2/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > Dear Pawan jee (and all) > > Everybody has a democratic right to protest, and that should be left. > However, I would suggest that inter-religious marriages should not be termed > as an unreligious thing, unless of course religion is too conservative and > narrow minded. And even this narrow-mindedness of religion should be > debated, in my belief. > > The reason to protest is fine if the girl indeed has been forcibly > converted, and there can be no problems or issues if there has to be an > inquiry. But if it does turn out that the girl has undertaken the marriage > willingly, the Sikh community should accept it. I feel saddened that in an > era where interdependency has taken new forms, the Sikh community (so also > others) should think that of self-sufficiency in this kind of way (which is > pre-judiced). It is certainly unfortunate. > > An inter-religious marriage can actually be used in a very constructive way > by ensuring that two religious sects (or even entire religions) get their > joint candidates selected for democratically contested posts, and thereby > ensure that work will get done. And from an intrinsic point of view, it > should certainly be the case that two people should have the freedom to > judge for themselves whether they wish to marry or not. > > Let not social pressures and prejudices come in the way of a relationship > which is an epitome of love, is all I can say. Love is after all, the true > meaning of God. (And this is for everyone, lest you take it as only for you) > > Life is too short to be spent with hate in our minds. > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From pkray11 at gmail.com Tue Nov 3 00:57:49 2009 From: pkray11 at gmail.com (prakash ray) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:57:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?Maoists_kill_=91own=92_man_for_mon?= =?windows-1252?q?ey?= Message-ID: <98f331e00911021127k77d1a903tb9f0ec65ed12893f@mail.gmail.com> http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091102/jsp/bengal/story_11688664.jsp Midnapore, Nov. 1: Suspected Maoists today shot dead a member of the People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities, apparently because he had not met their extortion demands. Police officials said the killing of schoolteacher Anil Mahato, 58, in West Midnapore’s Salboni suggested that the rebels were finding it tough to extort money in Lalgarh, 40km away, because of the presence of the joint forces there. It is not unusual for the guerrillas to demand money from teachers despite their modest salaries. Sleuths who had quizzed a treasurer of the Committee earlier this month said Rs 80 lakh used to be collected a month from Lalgarh and Binpur at the height of the tribal movement. Of this, Rs 15 lakh came from teachers. Mahato, who was from Bhutiashol village and taught at the local Madhyamik Siksha Kendra, was a CPM member and a panchayat pradhan in the 1990s. He had left the party 10 years ago. Ashok Mahato, Mahato’s son-in-law, said the Maoists had demanded Rs 1,000 in September and Rs 2,000 in October. “About 10 days ago, my father-in-law told them he wouldn’t be able to pay. But this morning, he told us he would pay to buy peace,” Ashok said. A police officer said the Maoists “are extorting money from whoever they can”. “Earlier, they never did so from Committee members.” West Midnapore police chief Manoj Verma said the “Maoists need a steady flow of cash to maintain their new recruits in areas like Lalgarh and Salboni and to buy arms and provisions”. From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 3 14:05:01 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:35:01 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar Message-ID: <402257.72084.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Well done BCCI. Bravo!   Shame on you "Services" cricket team.   The J&K cricket team had (incidentally) trounced the Services cricket team on 21st Oct '09, winning their match by 9 wickets. That was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali 20/20 competition.   Kshmendra     Ranji Trophy 2009-10   "Services expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar"   Cricinfo staff November 3, 2009   The BCCI has barred the Services team from taking any further part in the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy season after it refused to play its opening Ranji Trophy game against Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar. The team, which is controlled by India's defence ministry, opted out of the Plate division game and did not travel to the city. Further action against Services will be decided upon by the BCCI's working committee.   "We are not going to Srinagar for the opening match. We have been told to prepare for the next game," JP Pandey, assistant coach of the Services, told the Indian Express.   J&K captain Vinayak Mane said he was aware only on the morning of the match that the opposition was not going to turn up. "I don't know why Services isn't travelling to Srinagar. If security was the problem, they should have raised the issue since BCCI released the schedule long ago," he said. "It's big for cricket in the valley. The pitch in Srinagar is newly laid and there was excitement here. This match would have been a big boost for cricket here."   Farooq Abdullah, the president of the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), said he had heard that Services had been advised not to travel to Srinagar. "When everyone else is here, including guest players and umpires, how is it that they can't come?" he told the Times Now television channel. "It completely negates what the prime minister, home minister and defence minister say. I am going to take this up very seriously with the government of India and I am going to tell the prime minister and defence minister that this will not do."   N Srinivasan, the secretary of the BCCI, confirmed that Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which manages all sports teams of the Indian defence forces, has been disqualified from the tournament for this season, pending further action. "Action will be taken according to our rules," he said. "The SSCB has been disqualified from participating in the 2009-10 edition of the Ranji Trophy, in accordance with the rules of the BCCI pertaining to domestic tournaments. A decision on any further action against the SSCB will be taken by the BCCI's Working Committee."   The Ranji Plate Division match was scheduled at the Sher-e-Kashmir stadium, which last hosted a one-day international against West Indies in 1986. The last first-class game in Srinagar was in 2004 against Orissa. The next fixture scheduled here is against Haryana on November 10.   http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/432759.html     From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 3 14:27:38 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 00:57:38 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <138631.40743.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Sudeep   This List has seen many downright stupid and moronic comments (some of mine included I am sure). But, yours must certainly rank amongst the worsest of the worst ones.   Is this what your opinion of Indian women is? That they find a man "handsome" on basis of the religion that the man might have been born into or reared in or converted to?   Does belonging to any particular religion make a man into some special producer and dispenser of pheramones that render him 'handsome' in the eyes of women?   Kshmendra --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Sudeep K S wrote: From: Sudeep K S Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Love Jihad- A New Phrase Being Added to Lexicon of Hate Politics! To: "reader-list" Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 3:02 PM Dear Rakesh, Shuddha and others, What I see in this whole 'love jihad' episode is just plain envy. As per Indian concepts, the women (and men) find Muslims more handsome. Some women even go on to marry Muslims, and some even become Muslims. How can the Hindu men tolerate all this nonsense? From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 3 14:53:05 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 01:23:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <697995.14562.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Meera   Very appropriately put by you:   """"' Eve teasing refers to situations which feel disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. ........ So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. """""''   I do not agree though with the comment " These situations depict contempt rather than admiration."   Wonder if you would agree that there is some graded evaluation to be recognised ranging from the "eve teasing" of the pre-puberty years on to immediate-post-puberty years and onwards. Would it also be reasonable to distinguish between "eve teasing" and "sexual harrasment" with the later resorted to by men in such positions and situations where they find it easy to intimidate and bully.   Kshmendra   --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Meera Rizvi wrote: From: Meera Rizvi Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results To: "subhrodip sengupta" Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 9:13 AM Dear Subhrodip, There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. Most women, and I speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even if they do not return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These situations depict contempt rather than admiration. So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and someone rides their motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing even though they may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a lonely bus stop at a late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it makes most women nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when one was with a gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, it would be amusing. So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. Regards, Meera From jeebesh at sarai.net Tue Nov 3 15:51:24 2009 From: jeebesh at sarai.net (Jeebesh) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 15:51:24 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] VIIIth International Conference of Labour History Message-ID: <76F5D4CF-30D1-4D15-9A2D-EF35E3976B11@sarai.net> Call for Papers VIIIth International Conference of Labour History March 18-20, 2010 Delhi India. The Association of Indian Labour Historians (AILH) in collaboration with the VVGiri National Labour Institute( VVGNLI) is organizing the 8th International Conference to be held at Delhi on March 18-20 2010 . We invite proposals for paper presentation at the conference from historians, social scientists, labour activists and organizations on the themes outlined below. LABOUR HISTORY: EXPANDING THE FRONTIERS For more than a decade historians in India and outside have been questioning the framing assumptions of labour history and re-drawing its boundaries –temporal, spatial, sectoral. What we see in recent years is a stretching of frontiers and a blurring of lines that separated the rural and the urban, the formal and the informal, the organized and the unorganized, the free and the unfree, the modern and the pre-modern, the public and private, the local and the global. What does this stretching of boundaries mean for the writing of labour history? How do these shifts in perspective unsettle terms and categories with which historians operated? The issue for us today is not just the inclusion of groups considered marginal, residual but of foregrounding and centering what lay on the margins of labour history. Most histories of labour operated with an assumption of a homogenous spatial division of environment of work such as the division between the rural/urban or domestic/ factory. Movement was assumed to be from one pole to the other. This homogenous division or unilinear movement can no longer be sustained. There is a need to develop frameworks with which to grapple with the idea of the radical heterogeneity of the category of labour. In the present context of globalisation and liberalization, spatial inequalities between and within nations have intensified. New spaces of labour, such as Special Economic Zones, Free Trade Zones have been produced and familiar places of labour such as the neighbourhoods (hatas chawls , bustees and kampongs ) and factories have been restructured. How do we then conceptualise labouring spaces that are heterogenous? How do we take into account the mutually constitutive ways in which labouring forms interact with different spatial environments? We invite scholars to rethink and reformulate spatial histories of labour focusing simultaneously on the production of spaces by labouring activities and also on the ways in which different spatial organizations shape labour forms. This conference proposes the need to study the multiple linkages between forms of labour, labouring identities and labouring spaces. The reconceptualisation of heterogenous labour necessitates drawing on conceptual resources of other fields of research: on space and geography, on forests and agriculture, on transport and communications, on crime, law and war, on migration, disease and medicine and many other histories and see them in their inter- connection with histories of labour. We specially invite social scientists of other disciplines to engage with the questions raised by histories of labour. The conference aims to link together histories of the present and the past by inviting scholars, researchers and activists, engaging with contemporary scenarios and those studying the many pasts of labour in a common platform. We would like contributions from different regional and national contexts to develop a comparative and trans-national perspective. The conference will be organized around two main rubrics: 1. Spatial histories of labour : Although notions of space have been implicitly a part of histories of labour, yet there is need to push and explore how labour is involved in the production of specific kinds of spaces and how spaces impact on labor. Possible lines of inquiry that can be developed are: · labouring lives and the production of urban space · spaces of leisure and sociability · Spaces of Resistance · Infra-structure, public works and the creation of new spatial grids · The workshop, the factory and the domestic as spaces of work · Law regulation and the constitution of spaces. · Movement and migration 1. Linked histories: Labour needs to be seen in terms of its connections with other histories. It will be important to see how scholars working on caste, race, gender, environment, rural society, forests, tribals, crime and punishment, cinema and representation, and other areas look at their work through the prism of labour and labouring identities. Some themes that can be discussed at the conference are: Labouring lives and dalit histories Race ethnicity and labour Crime criminality and labouring classes Visualising work, representing labour: art, cinema and histories of labour Labour, capital and tribal lives Ecological regimes and labouring lives Masculinity femininity and labouring identities Labour movement and social movements Submission schedule and other information Abstracts of the papers and panels proposed should reach us by November 15. We will inform selected participants by November 22. Those who wish to set up panels should contact us immediately in the next two weeks so that the schedule can be made out. We will take care of board and lodging for all participants for the duration of the conference. Our financial resources will allow us to pay the invited participants 2nd class A/C rail fare from any part of India. We regret, that the AILH will not be able to fund international travel. We will however strongly support applications of international participants for travel funding to their respective institutions or other funding agencies Important Dates: November 15- Panel and Paper abstracts November 22- Final Selection of Papers and Panels February 18- Final Submission of Papers. Abstracts and papers should be submitted electronically to ailhconference at gmail.com For panels and other information contact Prabhu Mohapatra (prabhuayan at gmail.com ) Chitra Joshi( chitrajos at gmail.com) About the AILH The AILH is an association of historians, social scientists, labour rights activists and organizations founded in 1996 December to promote scholarly studies of labour. The Association has since 1998 held seven International Conferences on labour history on various themes. Two major collections of essays based on recent conferences have been published ( Labour Matters: Towards Global Histories, Tulika Books, New Delhi 2009, and India’s Labouring Poor, Foundation Books, New Delhi 2005). The Association in collaboration with the VV Giri National Labour Institute, NOIDA has also set up an Archives of Indian Labour, the largest online depository of labour related documents and other resources. The archives can be accessed at www.indialabourarchives.org . For further information on the Association and the VVGNLI see www.vvgnli.org . From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 3 15:54:43 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 02:24:43 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Sample truth of Kashmir's so called "Aazadi" movement Message-ID: <402455.29898.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com>   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBp1BzZx5jU     From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Tue Nov 3 16:37:09 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 16:37:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Call for submissions on Positive Spaces: Kinaara and Open Space India Message-ID: >From http://kinaaramagazine.org/index.php/positive-spaces/ ** *Kinaara* magazine in collaboration with Open Space Indiaseeks contributions to *Positive Spaces*, an anthology of fiction, articles, essays, photographs and artwork that emphasise and celebrate the aspects of unity and coexistence within the youth of South Asia and the diaspora. — *About Positive Spaces* *Positive Spaces* is a campaign run by Open Space India in a number of Indian cities in 2009, with the aim to develop physical as well as symbolical spaces that are safe, diverse, inclusive and attentive to the ways in which hierarchies of class, caste, religion, sexuality, gender and ability work within the youth. The campaign has been carried out in campuses and public spaces through workshops, awareness sessions, theatre and other live performances and film screenings, and supported by organisations like Seagull Foundation for the Arts. Launched in July 2009, *Kinaara* is a monthly online literary magazine for the youth in South Asia and the diaspora. *Kinaara* is a platform to facilitate experimentations in the literary and art forms, discussions on social issues and concerns and similar communication arising from all over South Asia and people who identify as South Asian. The collaboration will result in a print anthology to be published in January 2010 and circulated to NGOs, universities, libraries and social studies organizations across South Asia and beyond. — *Submission Details* - Contributors should be of or below the age of 30 years as on December 31, 2009. - Contributions should pertain to the topics of contemporary South Asian life, society, arts, culture or youth, and emphasise the theme of positive spaces. - Essays, articles and short fiction should be within the length of 800-1200 words. - Poetry should be within the length of 80 lines. - Photo features should contain a maximum of 10 photos. Original files are preferred. - Art features should contain a maximum of 5 pieces, scanned at 300 dpi in the least. - For mixed media work and/or work requiring specific formatting, the contributor is requested to get in touch with the *Kinaara* team. - Contributors should agree to permit *Kinaara* to publish any submission unused for the print edition in subsequent online editions. — *All submissions and queries should be directed to submit at kinaaramagazine.org.The last date for acceptance of submissions is November 30, 2009.* From javedmasoo at gmail.com Tue Nov 3 21:08:31 2009 From: javedmasoo at gmail.com (Javed) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:08:31 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' Message-ID: Why should we listen to such a fatwa. All Muslims should condemn such a fatwa and ask these maulvis to mind their own business. We cannot allow them to be the spokespersons of all Muslims. (This is not to say that the Muslims should listen to the saffron brigade to sing Vande Matram necessarily). We have to oppose both the extremes. ======= Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' Times Now 3 November 2009, 11:41am IST Jamait-e-Ulema Hind or the JEU on Tuesday issued a fatwa against singing national song 'Vande Mataram'. According to a resolution, Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as its reciting is against the Islam. The resolution, which was passed at the Deoband national convention meet, says that Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as some verses of the patriotic song are against the tenets of Islam. The JEU leader said that the some of the line in the song is against Islam. Meanwhile, home minister P Chidambaram addressed a Jamait-e-Ulema Hind conference in Deoband today. Meanwhile, the Muslim Law Board justified the decision saying that (Muslims) can’t offer prayers to anyone but Allah. Kamal Farooqui, a prominent leader of the Board said, "We love the nation but can't worship it." http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fatwa-issued-against-Vande-Mataram/articleshow/5191847.cms From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Tue Nov 3 22:45:13 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 22:45:13 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Award for young women journalists in India In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: varsha patel Hi, Please circulate and nominate anyone sutiable. Laxmi ----------- *The Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award 2009 for young women journalists* *For*: Women Journalists 25 years and below. *Topic*: Human rights and social justice *Deadline*: 1st December 2009 The Jayaraman family and the Network of Women in Media, India (NWMI) jointly announce the Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award for young women journalists for the year 2009. The Award had been set up in the memory of Anupama Jayaraman, a young and promising Bangalore-based journalist who passed away in January 2006. Anupama was not only multi-talented and energetic, but she also demonstrated a keen interest in issues of human rights and social justice. The Award is one of several efforts undertaken by her family to keep her concerns and ideas alive. It is meant to encourage and honour young women journalists who, like her, believe in meaningful journalism and have the courage and determination to write on issues relating to human rights and social justice. The Award will include a citation and a cheque for Rs. 15,000. As in previous years, the 2009 Award will be given to a female print journalist in India writing on such issues in English or any official Indian language. The 4th Anupama Jayaraman Award will be presented at the 8th Annual Meeting of the Network of Women in Media, India. The ceremony will be part of the three-day meeting hosted by the Network of Women in Media, Keralam, in February 2010. A jury of eminent citizens, including senior journalists, will judge the entries and select the next recipient of the Award. Objectives · To encourage, support and honour young women journalists writing on human rights, social justice and people-centred development. · To nurture and sustain idealism, enthusiasm and constructive professionalism among young journalists. · To promote and strengthen journalism that cares. Themes Entries must address the broad themes of human rights and social justice, which includes issues related to basic needs (including access to natural resources), gender equality, climate change and environment.. Eligibility Criteria · The 2009 Award is open to Indian women journalists aged 25 or less, working in or contributing to the print media in India. · All woman journalists in this age group, including independent (freelance) journalists, are eligible. · The Award is for a body of work represented by three articles with at least one on the specified topic, published over a two-year period (the 2009 Award will be for articles published between 1st September 2007 and 30th October 2009) Guidelines for Nominations 1. For the 2009 Anupama Jayaraman Award all nominations must be received by 1st December 2009. 2. Please write “Anupama Jayaraman Memorial Award 2009” on the envelope. 3. Nominations, to be sent to the address below, must include: · A short write-up on the nominee and her contact details (including postal address, phone number and e-mail ID) · Three bylined articles relating to this year’s specified topic (the original and 1 xerox copy of each of the three submissions must be submitted) · All nominations must be typed · All submitted articles must be printed/published. · For all articles published in languages other than English, an English translation signed by the author must be attached along with the original. 4. When couriering/speed-posting or posting the nominations, kindly send an email, or call on one of the contact numbers and provide the following details: · Date of dispatch · Consignment number · Name of courier/postal service used 5. Besides editors and other media professionals, members of the reading public are also welcome to send in nominations. Other Details · A jury of three eminent citizens, mainly journalists, will select the Award winner; their decision will be final. · The Awardee and the person who nominated her will be personally informed about the jury’s decision by 1 January 2010. · The winner of the award will also be released to various media, NWMI e-groups and the NWMI website. Address for couriering/posting nominations *Openspace,* 125/ 1, 15th cross, 5th main, 2nd Block, R.T. Nagar, Bangalore -560032 Phone-080-23534797 For enquiries contact: Nirmala Jayaraman: 9242150045 Anita Cheria: 9448484797 E mail : award.aj at gmail.com For more details on the award and previous winners, please visit the website of the Network of Women and Media, India. NWMI: *www.nwmindia.org* From akmalik45 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 3 23:40:07 2009 From: akmalik45 at yahoo.com (A.K. Malik) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:10:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <64108.49176.qm@web112101.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hi All, Our friends always blame the BJP/VHP or such other formations if they speak anything right or wrong.By the way I couldn't get "What was the trigger" for adopting such a resolution/fatwa and strangely it has taken more than 60 years for the so called Maulvis to now know that it is against Islam.Cheers for their intellect level. If someone doesn't want to sing the National Song,let him/her not sing.There is no Constitutional duty on anyone to do so. But issuing a fatwa to others not to do so is definitely a divisive one.Javed has very commendably given his observations but it would have been more welcome if he had not written the addl comments in brackets. (A.K.MALIK) --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Javed wrote: > From: Javed > Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9:08 PM > Why should we listen to such a fatwa. > All Muslims should condemn such > a fatwa and ask these maulvis to mind their own business. > We cannot > allow them to be the spokespersons of all Muslims. > > (This is not to say that the Muslims should listen to the > saffron > brigade to sing Vande Matram necessarily). We have to > oppose both the > extremes. > > ======= > > Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' > Times Now 3 November 2009, 11:41am IST > > Jamait-e-Ulema Hind or the JEU on Tuesday issued a fatwa > against > singing national song 'Vande Mataram'. According to a > resolution, > Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as its reciting is > against the > Islam. > > The resolution, which was passed at the Deoband national > convention > meet, says that Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as > some verses > of the patriotic song are against the tenets of Islam. The > JEU leader > said that the some of the line in the song is against > Islam. > > Meanwhile, home minister P Chidambaram addressed a > Jamait-e-Ulema Hind > conference in Deoband today. > > Meanwhile, the Muslim Law Board justified the decision > saying that > (Muslims) can’t offer prayers to anyone but Allah. Kamal > Farooqui, a > prominent leader of the Board said, "We love the nation but > can't > worship it." > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fatwa-issued-against-Vande-Mataram/articleshow/5191847.cms > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From akmalik45 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 00:23:13 2009 From: akmalik45 at yahoo.com (A.K. Malik) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:53:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <697995.14562.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <829454.24746.qm@web112107.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hi Everyone, Why denigrate a beautiful male/female relationship because of a few aberrations in terms of eve teasing.Bullying takes place in schools,colleges, offices irrespective of gender.However in gender specific men try to show their power to women by eve-teasing. The perceptions of eve-teasing as per opinion polls can vary from culture to culture and country to country.It has been proved scientifically that men get attracted to women especially physically more beautiful ones .Even if they are with their spouses/girlfriends/female family members, they are unable to control themselves not to take notice and do look again and again.So far no problem.But when the same thing results into cat calls or physically touching women or other indecent gestures, it is definitely shameful and must be condemned.I tend to agree to every bit of what Meera has written. I am giving two small incidents which happened long back and would like to know whether these are eve teasing: 1.A young boy of 8/9 years in our Mohalla caught hold of a rat from a cage and tied its tail with a small rope type thing and was flinging on some girls in similar age group. The girls complained to me"Bhapaji (Brother) Yeh hamein roz aisee hi tang karta hai".I asked the boy "why are you doing this to the girls,if you like it, do it it to the boys". The little boy replied that he enjoyed it doing that to the girls only. 2. A man got interested in a woman teacher and would board the bus every afternoon and never did or spoke anything wrong to her.One day he got a seat with her and politely told her that he was interested in her.She told him she was married.The man said he was still interested in her.No indecent things done. The woman then raised an alarm and got the man beaten up for harassing her. Wooing a woman by a man is has the most beautiful moments in a man's life.Now when wooing becomes eve-teasing, the distinction gets blurred. Wherever aberrations are there, those are very clear as pointed out by Meera,but there are beautiful moments also. Why rob these from men? (A.K.MALIK) --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > To: "Meera Rizvi" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:53 PM > Dear Meera >   > Very appropriately put by you: >   > """"' Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous > and violated. ........ So, in short, eve teasing, simply > defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her > will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. """""'' >   > I do not agree though with the comment " These situations > depict contempt rather than admiration." >   > Wonder if you would agree that there is some graded > evaluation to be recognised ranging from the "eve teasing" > of the pre-puberty years on to immediate-post-puberty years > and onwards. Would it also be reasonable to distinguish > between "eve teasing" and "sexual harrasment" with the later > resorted to by men in such positions and situations where > they find it easy to intimidate and bully. >   > Kshmendra >   > > --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Meera Rizvi > wrote: > > > From: Meera Rizvi > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - > Opinion Poll Results > To: "subhrodip sengupta" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 9:13 AM > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. > Most women, and I > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even > if they do not > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These > situations > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > someone rides their > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing > even though they > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a > lonely bus stop at a > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > makes most women > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when > one was with a > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, > it would be > amusing. > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to > brow beat a > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the > freedom of choice. > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > Regards, > > Meera > > > > >       > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From akmalik45 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 00:30:31 2009 From: akmalik45 at yahoo.com (A.K. Malik) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 11:00:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar In-Reply-To: <402257.72084.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <215627.4572.qm@web112115.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hi Mr Kaul, Are you inferring that those manning the Services team are fools and because of the defeat threat they didn't participate in the match? Regards, (A.K.MALIK) --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar > To: "sarai list" > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:05 PM > Well done BCCI. Bravo! >   > Shame on you "Services" cricket team. >   > The J&K cricket team had (incidentally) trounced the > Services cricket team on 21st Oct '09, winning their match > by 9 wickets. That was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali 20/20 > competition. >   > Kshmendra >   >   > Ranji Trophy 2009-10 >   > "Services expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar" >   > Cricinfo staff > November 3, 2009 >   > The BCCI has barred the Services team from taking any > further part in the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy season after it > refused to play its opening Ranji Trophy game against Jammu > and Kashmir in Srinagar. The team, which is controlled by > India's defence ministry, opted out of the Plate division > game and did not travel to the city. Further action against > Services will be decided upon by the BCCI's working > committee. >   > "We are not going to Srinagar for the opening match. We > have been told to prepare for the next game," JP Pandey, > assistant coach of the Services, told the Indian Express. >   > J&K captain Vinayak Mane said he was aware only on the > morning of the match that the opposition was not going to > turn up. "I don't know why Services isn't travelling to > Srinagar. If security was the problem, they should have > raised the issue since BCCI released the schedule long ago," > he said. "It's big for cricket in the valley. The pitch in > Srinagar is newly laid and there was excitement here. This > match would have been a big boost for cricket here." >   > Farooq Abdullah, the president of the Jammu & Kashmir > Cricket Association (JKCA), said he had heard that Services > had been advised not to travel to Srinagar. "When everyone > else is here, including guest players and umpires, how is it > that they can't come?" he told the Times Now television > channel. "It completely negates what the prime minister, > home minister and defence minister say. I am going to take > this up very seriously with the government of India and I am > going to tell the prime minister and defence minister that > this will not do." >   > N Srinivasan, the secretary of the BCCI, confirmed that > Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which manages all > sports teams of the Indian defence forces, has been > disqualified from the tournament for this season, pending > further action. "Action will be taken according to our > rules," he said. "The SSCB has been disqualified from > participating in the 2009-10 edition of the Ranji Trophy, in > accordance with the rules of the BCCI pertaining to domestic > tournaments. A decision on any further action against the > SSCB will be taken by the BCCI's Working Committee." >   > The Ranji Plate Division match was scheduled at the > Sher-e-Kashmir stadium, which last hosted a one-day > international against West Indies in 1986. The last > first-class game in Srinagar was in 2004 against Orissa. The > next fixture scheduled here is against Haryana on November > 10. >   > http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/432759.html >   >   > > >       > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rana at ranadasgupta.com Wed Nov 4 07:27:58 2009 From: rana at ranadasgupta.com (Rana Dasgupta) Date: Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:27:58 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasmin Khan: "The Ghost of Udham Singh" Message-ID: <4AF0DFA6.5030807@ranadasgupta.com> In the early evening of 13 March 1940, a seventy-four year old man was shot dead. The man was Sir Michael O’Dwyer and his assassin was Udham Singh. O’Dwyer – who had been the Governor of Punjab at the time of the Amritsar massacre in 1919 – was taking part in a discussion on the future of Afghanistan. Udham Singh shot him twice in the chest with a revolver and the former Raj official died shortly afterwards. This was retribution for his role in imposing martial law and defending the perpetrators of the Jallianwalla Bagh killings at the end of the First World War, carried out almost exactly twenty one years later. The impact of the Caxton Hall assassination lay in the fact that it was carried out in the heart of Westminster; a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey, within minutes of the Houses of Parliament. The assassination seemed to shrink the distance between Amritsar and London, collapsing time between 1919 and 1940. It brought back to the newspapers, and to many memories, the bloody scenes at Jallianwalla Bagh, where hundreds of innocent men, women and children had died. The grand surroundings of the Tudor Room, with its heavy drapes, and wooden beamed ceiling was the setting of a murder that evoked those horrific event thousands of miles away in Punjab. Resistance to the Raj had literally reached the epicentre of the British empire. Two worlds had collided. The room was packed with around two hundred people, among them many of the bespectacled and besuited grandees of the British establishment in tweeds and pinstripes. They had gathered to hear a lecture by Sir Percy Sykes on ‘Afghanistan: the Present Position.’ Well heeled and well travelled this was a select crowd of members of the Royal Society of Asian Affairs. Many were retired civil servants and administrators, keen to hear about lands in Asia where they had served many years before. Others were majors, doctors, former provincial governors and their wives. Among them sat the splendidly named Miss Bertha Herring who would soon rugby tackle Udham Singh to the ground after he had fired the fatal shots, stout, in her sixties, an active member of the association and of the local church in Ascot. The most important guest was Lord Zetland, the Secretary of State for India, who chaired the meeting. Udham Singh, in a trilby and blue lounge suit, must have been conspicuous in this crowd. There is little doubt that the assassin was something of a dandy: an earlier passport photo shows him in a crisp white shirt, striped tie and with a carefully clipped moustache framing his full mouth. After his arrest, the police found coloured handkerchiefs, Russian roubles, a silver watch and cigarettes among his possessions. Looking at him, few could have imagined his origins and experiences – the loss of all his immediate relatives to disease while a young child, years spent in an orphanage in Amritsar, the ducking and diving through prisons and legal systems, the aliases and different passports, the numerous affairs with women, scraping a living from handouts and odd jobs, living, quite literally, ‘on the edge’ in Europe, North America and Britain. It is hard to disentangle truth from fiction, and the myth of Udham Singh has been well-inflated by political activists, writers and film-makers. The false leads and strange assumptions in the notebooks of detectives and policemen have also muddied the picture. Did he make it as far as Russia? What was his connection with Irish nationalists? Communists, socialists, anarchists, Punjabi Indian nationalists and Sikh separatists have all claimed him as a hero. The British refusal to open archives relating to the assassination until the 1990s also increased his mystique. He may have had links to – or sympathy with – several movements but the hard evidence remained scanty: present day political needs were projected back onto his ghost. The mysteries around Singh’s life have done his reputation no harm. Born at the turn of the century, he received a fair education in the Central Khalsa orphange in Amritsar after his destitute father died. Was he actually a young man in the crowd when the shooting at Amritsar took place? It’s said that he was giving out drinking water to the parched crowds on the day of the Amritsar killings. He claimed to have been there, and some say that a scar on his arm was the result of an injury received that day. His life seems marked by rootlessness and a restless struggle to settle on questions of political and personal identity, with sojourns in North America, Europe and the UK. At different stages of his life his aliases included the names Sher Singh, Udham Singh, Udhan Singh, Ude Singh, Uday Singh, Frank Brazil, and Ram Mohammed Singh Azad. Was he a revolutionary warrior or an oddball and fantasist? There can be little doubt that he was violently opposed to British imperialism. When Scotland Yard did finally release the files on his trial they revealed his reaction when the judge gave the verdict: he spat and swore ‘against the King and Emperor’ and declared that he wasn’t afraid of death and that when he had gone ‘thousands of (my) countrymen would drive you dirty dogs out of my country.’ But the story of his life poses interesting challenges for the historian interested in ‘facts’ – for the stories about Singh are fragmented and seem sometimes only to take sustenance from their repetition. Some say he fraternised with members of the Ghadar party – the ambitious revolutionary movement started in North America which struggled for India’s liberation from British imperialism during the First World War – and met members of the IRA in Britain. In 1927 he was jailed in Amritsar for keeping illicit ammunition in his possession. He was given a passport nonetheless and travelled widely in Europe, arriving back in Britain around 1934. In the 1930s he moved from place to place, perhaps earning his keep as an itinerant peddlar of hosiery and lingerie, and he may also have worked as a handyman, driver and mechanic. He knew Indians in Coventry and Southampton, appears to have liked going to bookshops and to Indian restaurants. He also made some cash as a film extra in crowd scenes. But in the conditions of depression-era England, it was probably far from a glamorous existence. This assassination, then, was not a straightforward story of nationalist heroism in conflict with British imperialism. By 1940, the political picture was too complex to allow that. Gandhi was weighing up the question of a renewed satyagraha, and the Lahore resolution, demanding Pakistan, would soon be placed on the table. Indian constitutional negotiations were imminent and the Congress leadership feared losing the upper hand and the moral high ground if they associated too closely with an assassin. In the context of war – when nightly blackouts were taking place, rationing had begun and the battles over France and the Low Countries were imminent – India’s role in the war was a matter of great sensitivity and anxiety. From the British perspective, there was a lack of comprehension about India’s resistance and the public did not equate British imperialism with Nazi fascism, although to many Indians this was not far-fetched. As the London based Congress activist Krishna Menon put it in a pamphlet for the India League, ‘Indian opinion has always been opposed to fascism and Nazism, but it does not see them as separate or even essentially different from imperialism.’ There was a risk of Udham Singh’s case being used for Nazi propaganda and, indeed, within hours of the news, the British Nazi, Lord Haw Haw was broadcasting on the subject from Berlin. From the British administration’s point of view, O’Dwyer’s assassination came at a bad time. Nehru made ambiguous statements, generally displeased by the killing, while Gandhi made his outright condemnation clear, sending condolences to O’Dwyer’s family. Reactions in the Indian press to the murder were also decidedly ambivalent while the British Indian community in London – well networked through the restaurants, hotels and political groups in the capital – was split down the middle. Some members of the British public wrote letters pleading against the death penalty for Singh; Joyce Tarring wrote to the Secretary of State for India from a hotel in Cumberland to say that ‘it would be a great act of clemency which would touch the heart of India.’ Another woman from Hampstead was concerned that ‘there is a real danger of this affair being misinterpreted in India.’ Edward Thompson also urged the Secretary of State for India to show leniency. Udham Singh was hung in Pentonville prison on 31 July 1940. His story – full of ambivalences, exaggerations and glorification – lives on to the present day. His importance as a Sikh hero has seemed to grow over time, and myths about him abound; there is a statue of him in Amritsar, he has been depicted in at least three movies and streets and public places are named in his memory. Over time, just as the myths around Singh grew, the political parties looked more favourably towards him. The Indian government was successful in literally reclaiming him (after several failed attempts in the 1960s) and Udham Singh’s casket was exhumed from the grounds of Pentonville prison in 1974. It was a profound symbolic act. The coffin was taken to Heathrow, loaded into a decorated bus at Delhi airport, followed by large crowds and taken to Kapurthala House so that people could file past it and pay their respects before its final journey along the Grand Trunk Road and through Punjab to its resting place in Sunam, the town of his birth. Ironically, it was Indira Gandhi herself who came to see Udham Singh’s coffin before it left Delhi, laying a wreath, and praising in her speech a man who ‘had sacrificed his life for his country.’ Yasmin Khan * Yasmin Khan is a historian based at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her first book, /The Great Partition:/ T/he Making of India and Pakistan/ (Yale/Penguin India, 2007) won the Royal Historical Society’s Gladstone Prize. She is currently writing a narrative history of India during the Second World War to be published by Random House in 2012.* From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 09:23:21 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:53:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <697995.14562.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <107577.32100.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> There obviously will be a fair bit of subjectivity involved in the interpretation of eve teasing,which is causing confusion to people. To me,the so called admiring the beauty of a girl will not be eve teasing,while a girl who experiences harassment for a large part of her both outdoor and indoor life,any such appreciation will be intimidating. People adapt to their surroundings but it should be explicitly spelled it out in this case.If you are living in a society where more often than not strangers approaching girls have no sense of propriety, you should keep your well intentioned appreciation to yourself;or otherwise,approach the girl in a way that is least intimidating to her,preferably through a common acquaintance. Please read blogs to see what girls feel about strangers who approach them.Your intention really does not matter,its how the girl perceives it is what matters. Needless to say,if you were in say, the U.S. of A, where girls live in a far more secure environment,you might not be required to be so careful and considerate. --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > To: "Meera Rizvi" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:53 PM > Dear Meera >   > Very appropriately put by you: >   > """"' Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous > and violated. ........ So, in short, eve teasing, simply > defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her > will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. """""'' >   > I do not agree though with the comment " These situations > depict contempt rather than admiration." >   > Wonder if you would agree that there is some graded > evaluation to be recognised ranging from the "eve teasing" > of the pre-puberty years on to immediate-post-puberty years > and onwards. Would it also be reasonable to distinguish > between "eve teasing" and "sexual harrasment" with the later > resorted to by men in such positions and situations where > they find it easy to intimidate and bully. >   > Kshmendra >   > > --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Meera Rizvi > wrote: > > > From: Meera Rizvi > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - > Opinion Poll Results > To: "subhrodip sengupta" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 9:13 AM > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. > Most women, and I > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even > if they do not > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These > situations > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > someone rides their > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing > even though they > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a > lonely bus stop at a > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > makes most women > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when > one was with a > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, > it would be > amusing. > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to > brow beat a > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the > freedom of choice. > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > Regards, > > Meera > > > > >       > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Wed Nov 4 09:54:02 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:54:02 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <107577.32100.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <107577.32100.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <214785.42594.qm@web94705.mail.in2.yahoo.com> ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: subhrodip sengupta To: Rahul Asthana Sent: Wed, 4 November, 2009 9:52:57 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results ONE case of murder or shameful assualt sometimes led us to skip the news paper article............................... job losses go unnoticed, But see the concern raised on issues of eve-teasing, hurt being hurt but assault less. This shows that divided may we be on this matter but everybody is concerned on one beautiful aspect of life GENDER. Another interesting pick We read newspapers. But newspapers are biased in Geographical limits. They pick out, sometimes consciously, sometimes elsewise when to report a crime when to not. Outside township part, in Durgapur for instance every month there is a Rape and murder. But newspapers rarely watch it.......... ________________________________ From: Rahul Asthana To: Meera Rizvi ; Kshmendra Kaul Cc: Readers list Yousuf Sarai. Sent: Wed, 4 November, 2009 9:23:21 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results There obviously will be a fair bit of subjectivity involved in the interpretation of eve teasing,which is causing confusion to people. To me,the so called admiring the beauty of a girl will not be eve teasing,while a girl who experiences harassment for a large part of her both outdoor and indoor life,any such appreciation will be intimidating. People adapt to their surroundings but it should be explicitly spelled it out in this case.If you are living in a society where more often than not strangers approaching girls have no sense of propriety, you should keep your well intentioned appreciation to yourself;or otherwise,approach the girl in a way that is least intimidating to her,preferably through a common acquaintance. Please read blogs to see what girls feel about strangers who approach them.Your intention really does not matter,its how the girl perceives it is what matters. Needless to say,if you were in say, the  U.S. of A, where girls live in a far more secure environment,you might not be required to be so careful and considerate. --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > To: "Meera Rizvi" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:53 PM > Dear Meera >   > Very appropriately put by you: >   > """"' Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous > and violated. ........ So, in short, eve teasing, simply > defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her > will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. """""'' >   > I do not agree though with the comment " These situations > depict contempt rather than admiration." >   > Wonder if you would agree that there is some graded > evaluation to be recognised ranging from the "eve teasing" > of the pre-puberty years on to immediate-post-puberty years > and onwards. Would it also be reasonable to distinguish > between "eve teasing" and "sexual harrasment" with the later > resorted to by men in such positions and situations where > they find it easy to intimidate and bully. >   > Kshmendra >   > > --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Meera Rizvi > wrote: > > > From: Meera Rizvi > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - > Opinion Poll Results > To: "subhrodip sengupta" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 9:13 AM > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. > Most women, and I > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even > if they do not > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These > situations > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > someone rides their > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing > even though they > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a > lonely bus stop at a > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > makes most women > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when > one was with a > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, > it would be > amusing. > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to > brow beat a > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the > freedom of choice. > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > Regards, > > Meera > > > > >       > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>       _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek http://in.yahoo.com/trynew From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Wed Nov 4 09:59:31 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 09:59:31 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. Message-ID: <85295.29076.qm@web94710.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Interesting Articles,  AM Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was at Chandigarh's Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research for 90 minutes today. So was Sumit Prakash Verma — only that this was the time it reportedly took the 32-year-old, suffering from kidney failure, to reach the emergency section of the hospital as personnel deployed for the PM's security sent his family from one gate to another. Verma eventually got there but didn't survive. In a statement later, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said it "is saddened at the death of a patient at the PGIMER during the visit of the Prime Minister... A full report has been asked for." The Verma family from Ambala Cantonment said they managed to get through the security cordon only after one of the security personnel got into their vehicle. Employed in a jewellery shop, Verma is survived by wife Richa and two sons, aged six and 12. The Prime Minister was at the PGI from 11.30 am to 1 pm as chief guest at the institute's annual convocation. The venue of the ceremony was Bhargava Auditorium, located opposite the emergency block of the hospital. A premier institute catering to the region, the PGI is visited by hundreds everyday. The PGI, meanwhile, denied the family's claim, saying no patient was denied entry from any gate, especially to the emergency. In a statement, the institute claimed Verma had been "brought dead" to the emergency OPD around noon. "The patient had a history of end-stage kidney disease. He had been on maintenance hemodialysis in a private hospital. Today he was taken to a private hospital in Chandigarh for hemodialysis, following which his condition deteriorated. When brought to PGI emergency, he was found dead." The Vermas have handed a written complaint to Director General of Police SK Jain, demanding action against securitymen deployed at the PGI. In a press released issued later, Chandigarh Police said an executive magistrate had been asked to conduct an inquiry into the matter but "as per the family and PGI doctors, the cause of death was complications arising out of diabetes and renal failure."' But Verma's relative Ruchi said: "My husband's uncle was a kidney patient for the last few years and was undergoing dialysis at a private hospital in Sector 35 (Chandigarh). Even today, we came for his dialysis. But the doctors there told us he needed to be put on oxygen and that later in the day he could be brought back for dialysis. But when we reached the PGI, nobody would let us in. It took us almost an hour-and-half to reach the emergency where my uncle started crying, saying he was in acute pain." Arun Verma, sister-in-law of the patient, said the family broke down on seeing Verma's condition and this finally made one of the private security guards take pity on them. "He sat with us in our car and took us to the emergency. I am sure if the doctors had attended to him in time, he would have been alive." Contesting the family's claim, the PGI said that from 10 am to 1 pm — around the time Verma was brought to the hospital — 40 new patients were examined in the emergency OPD. "All medical facilities in the PGI were functioning normally. At no point of time was any hospital facility closed," it said. Express News Service What happens, Well these guards like to maintain a Status, indeed, when some wrong kind of people are rarely interrogated, others would be stopped and harrassed for just arousing their animal instincts. I've seen them all. The problem is when we pay respect to Uniform's job, not risking to land up in Jail, be it wrong or lethally wrong. Not everybody likes to pick up a scuffle that is..................................... Add whatever you love to the Yahoo! India homepage. Try now! http://in.yahoo.com/trynew From kiccovich at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 11:09:20 2009 From: kiccovich at yahoo.com (francesca recchia) Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:39:20 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Yasmin Khan: "The Ghost of Udham Singh" In-Reply-To: <4AF0DFA6.5030807@ranadasgupta.com> References: <4AF0DFA6.5030807@ranadasgupta.com> Message-ID: <784824.70622.qm@web113210.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> thanks rana! francesca recchia kiccovich at yahoo.com it +39 338 166 3648 iq +964 (0) 750 7085 681 http://www.veleno.tv/bollettini/ ________________________________ From: Rana Dasgupta To: sarai list Sent: Tue, 3 November, 2009 17:57:58 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasmin Khan: "The Ghost of Udham Singh" In the early evening of 13 March 1940, a seventy-four year old man was shot dead. The man was Sir Michael O’Dwyer and his assassin was Udham Singh. O’Dwyer – who had been the Governor of Punjab at the time of the Amritsar massacre in 1919 – was taking part in a discussion on the future of Afghanistan. Udham Singh shot him twice in the chest with a revolver and the former Raj official died shortly afterwards. This was retribution for his role in imposing martial law and defending the perpetrators of the Jallianwalla Bagh killings at the end of the First World War, carried out almost exactly twenty one years later. The impact of the Caxton Hall assassination lay in the fact that it was carried out in the heart of Westminster; a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey, within minutes of the Houses of Parliament. The assassination seemed to shrink the distance between Amritsar and London, collapsing time between 1919 and 1940. It brought back to the newspapers, and to many memories, the bloody scenes at Jallianwalla Bagh, where hundreds of innocent men, women and children had died. The grand surroundings of the Tudor Room, with its heavy drapes, and wooden beamed ceiling was the setting of a murder that evoked those horrific event thousands of miles away in Punjab. Resistance to the Raj had literally reached the epicentre of the British empire. Two worlds had collided. The room was packed with around two hundred people, among them many of the bespectacled and besuited grandees of the British establishment in tweeds and pinstripes. They had gathered to hear a lecture by Sir Percy Sykes on ‘Afghanistan: the Present Position.’ Well heeled and well travelled this was a select crowd of members of the Royal Society of Asian Affairs. Many were retired civil servants and administrators, keen to hear about lands in Asia where they had served many years before. Others were majors, doctors, former provincial governors and their wives. Among them sat the splendidly named Miss Bertha Herring who would soon rugby tackle Udham Singh to the ground after he had fired the fatal shots, stout, in her sixties, an active member of the association and of the local church in Ascot. The most important guest was Lord Zetland, the Secretary of State for India, who chaired the meeting. Udham Singh, in a trilby and blue lounge suit, must have been conspicuous in this crowd. There is little doubt that the assassin was something of a dandy: an earlier passport photo shows him in a crisp white shirt, striped tie and with a carefully clipped moustache framing his full mouth. After his arrest, the police found coloured handkerchiefs, Russian roubles, a silver watch and cigarettes among his possessions. Looking at him, few could have imagined his origins and experiences – the loss of all his immediate relatives to disease while a young child, years spent in an orphanage in Amritsar, the ducking and diving through prisons and legal systems, the aliases and different passports, the numerous affairs with women, scraping a living from handouts and odd jobs, living, quite literally, ‘on the edge’ in Europe, North America and Britain. It is hard to disentangle truth from fiction, and the myth of Udham Singh has been well-inflated by political activists, writers and film-makers. The false leads and strange assumptions in the notebooks of detectives and policemen have also muddied the picture. Did he make it as far as Russia? What was his connection with Irish nationalists? Communists, socialists, anarchists, Punjabi Indian nationalists and Sikh separatists have all claimed him as a hero. The British refusal to open archives relating to the assassination until the 1990s also increased his mystique. He may have had links to – or sympathy with – several movements but the hard evidence remained scanty: present day political needs were projected back onto his ghost. The mysteries around Singh’s life have done his reputation no harm. Born at the turn of the century, he received a fair education in the Central Khalsa orphange in Amritsar after his destitute father died. Was he actually a young man in the crowd when the shooting at Amritsar took place? It’s said that he was giving out drinking water to the parched crowds on the day of the Amritsar killings. He claimed to have been there, and some say that a scar on his arm was the result of an injury received that day. His life seems marked by rootlessness and a restless struggle to settle on questions of political and personal identity, with sojourns in North America, Europe and the UK. At different stages of his life his aliases included the names Sher Singh, Udham Singh, Udhan Singh, Ude Singh, Uday Singh, Frank Brazil, and Ram Mohammed Singh Azad. Was he a revolutionary warrior or an oddball and fantasist? There can be little doubt that he was violently opposed to British imperialism. When Scotland Yard did finally release the files on his trial they revealed his reaction when the judge gave the verdict: he spat and swore ‘against the King and Emperor’ and declared that he wasn’t afraid of death and that when he had gone ‘thousands of (my) countrymen would drive you dirty dogs out of my country.’ But the story of his life poses interesting challenges for the historian interested in ‘facts’ – for the stories about Singh are fragmented and seem sometimes only to take sustenance from their repetition. Some say he fraternised with members of the Ghadar party – the ambitious revolutionary movement started in North America which struggled for India’s liberation from British imperialism during the First World War – and met members of the IRA in Britain. In 1927 he was jailed in Amritsar for keeping illicit ammunition in his possession. He was given a passport nonetheless and travelled widely in Europe, arriving back in Britain around 1934. In the 1930s he moved from place to place, perhaps earning his keep as an itinerant peddlar of hosiery and lingerie, and he may also have worked as a handyman, driver and mechanic. He knew Indians in Coventry and Southampton, appears to have liked going to bookshops and to Indian restaurants. He also made some cash as a film extra in crowd scenes. But in the conditions of depression-era England, it was probably far from a glamorous existence. This assassination, then, was not a straightforward story of nationalist heroism in conflict with British imperialism. By 1940, the political picture was too complex to allow that. Gandhi was weighing up the question of a renewed satyagraha, and the Lahore resolution, demanding Pakistan, would soon be placed on the table. Indian constitutional negotiations were imminent and the Congress leadership feared losing the upper hand and the moral high ground if they associated too closely with an assassin. In the context of war – when nightly blackouts were taking place, rationing had begun and the battles over France and the Low Countries were imminent – India’s role in the war was a matter of great sensitivity and anxiety. From the British perspective, there was a lack of comprehension about India’s resistance and the public did not equate British imperialism with Nazi fascism, although to many Indians this was not far-fetched. As the London based Congress activist Krishna Menon put it in a pamphlet for the India League, ‘Indian opinion has always been opposed to fascism and Nazism, but it does not see them as separate or even essentially different from imperialism.’ There was a risk of Udham Singh’s case being used for Nazi propaganda and, indeed, within hours of the news, the British Nazi, Lord Haw Haw was broadcasting on the subject from Berlin. From the British administration’s point of view, O’Dwyer’s assassination came at a bad time. Nehru made ambiguous statements, generally displeased by the killing, while Gandhi made his outright condemnation clear, sending condolences to O’Dwyer’s family. Reactions in the Indian press to the murder were also decidedly ambivalent while the British Indian community in London – well networked through the restaurants, hotels and political groups in the capital – was split down the middle. Some members of the British public wrote letters pleading against the death penalty for Singh; Joyce Tarring wrote to the Secretary of State for India from a hotel in Cumberland to say that ‘it would be a great act of clemency which would touch the heart of India.’ Another woman from Hampstead was concerned that ‘there is a real danger of this affair being misinterpreted in India.’ Edward Thompson also urged the Secretary of State for India to show leniency. Udham Singh was hung in Pentonville prison on 31 July 1940. His story – full of ambivalences, exaggerations and glorification – lives on to the present day. His importance as a Sikh hero has seemed to grow over time, and myths about him abound; there is a statue of him in Amritsar, he has been depicted in at least three movies and streets and public places are named in his memory. Over time, just as the myths around Singh grew, the political parties looked more favourably towards him. The Indian government was successful in literally reclaiming him (after several failed attempts in the 1960s) and Udham Singh’s casket was exhumed from the grounds of Pentonville prison in 1974. It was a profound symbolic act. The coffin was taken to Heathrow, loaded into a decorated bus at Delhi airport, followed by large crowds and taken to Kapurthala House so that people could file past it and pay their respects before its final journey along the Grand Trunk Road and through Punjab to its resting place in Sunam, the town of his birth. Ironically, it was Indira Gandhi herself who came to see Udham Singh’s coffin before it left Delhi, laying a wreath, and praising in her speech a man who ‘had sacrificed his life for his country.’ Yasmin Khan * Yasmin Khan is a historian based at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her first book, /The Great Partition:/ T/he Making of India and Pakistan/ (Yale/Penguin India, 2007) won the Royal Historical Society’s Gladstone Prize. She is currently writing a narrative history of India during the Second World War to be published by Random House in 2012.* _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From jeebesh at sarai.net Wed Nov 4 11:27:14 2009 From: jeebesh at sarai.net (Jeebesh) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:27:14 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? Message-ID: dear All, Here is an arresting essay by Monbiot on the climate change denial. It's an intriguing reality. Climate change is going to displace millions and put substantial ethical pressure on ways of living of people used to certain form of material life. This is not going to be a simple conflict less process. Species survival is at risk :) warmly jeebesh "If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it?" http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/11/02/death-denial/ Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? Could it be about something else altogether? By George Monbiot. Published in the Guardian, 2nd November 2009 There is no point in denying it: we’re losing. Climate change denial is spreading like a contagious disease. It exists in a sphere which cannot be reached by evidence or reasoned argument; any attempt to draw attention to scientific findings is greeted with furious invective. This sphere is expanding with astonishing speed. A survey last month by the Pew Research Centre suggests that the proportion of Americans who believe there’s solid evidence that the world has been warming over the past few decades has fallen from 71% to 57% in just 18 months(1). Another survey, conducted in January by Rasmussen Reports, suggests that, due to a sharp rise since 2006, US voters who believe that global warming is the result of natural causes (44%) now outnumber those who believe it is caused by human action (41%)(2). A study by the website Desmogblog shows that the number of internet pages proposing that manmade global warming is a hoax or a lie more than doubled in 2008(3). The Science Museum’s Prove it! exhibition asks online readers to endorse or reject a statement that they’ve seen the evidence and want governments to take action. As of yesterday afternoon, 1006 people had endorsed it and 6110 had rejected it(4). On Amazon.co.uk, books championing climate change denial are currently ranked at 1,2,4,5,7 and 8 in the global warming category(5). Never mind that they’ve been torn to shreds by scientists and reviewers, they are beating the scientific books by miles. What is going on? It certainly doesn’t reflect the state of the science, which has hardened dramatically over the past two years. If you don’t believe me, open any recent edition of Science or Nature or any peer-reviewed journal specialising in atmospheric or environmental science. Go on, try it. The debate about global warming that’s raging on the internet and in the rightwing press does not reflect any such debate in the scientific journals. An American scientist I know suggests that these books and websites cater to a new literary market: people with room-temperature IQs. He didn’t say whether he meant Fahrenheit or Centigrade. But this can’t be the whole story. Plenty of intelligent people have also declared themselves sceptics. One such is the critic Clive James. You could accuse him of purveying trite received wisdom, but not of being dumb. On Radio Four a few days ago he delivered an essay about the importance of scepticism, during which he maintained that “the number of scientists who voice scepticism [about climate change] has lately been increasing.”(6) He presented no evidence to support this statement and, as far as I can tell, none exists. But he used this contention to argue that “either side might well be right, but I think that if you have a division on that scale, you can’t call it a consensus. Nobody can meaningfully say that the science is in.” Had he bothered to take a look at the quality of the evidence on either side of this media debate, and the nature of the opposing armies - climate scientists on one side, rightwing bloggers on the other - he too might have realised that the science is in. In, at any rate, to the extent that science can ever be, which is to say that the evidence for manmade global warming is as strong as the evidence for Darwinian evolution, or for the link between smoking and lung cancer. I am constantly struck by the way in which people like James, who proclaim themselves sceptics, will believe any old claptrap that suits their views. Their position was perfectly summarised by a supporter of Ian Plimer (author of a marvellous concatenation of gibberish called Heaven and Earth(7)) commenting on a recent article in the Spectator. “Whether Plimer is a charlatan or not, he speaks for many of us”(8). These people aren’t sceptics; they’re suckers. Such beliefs seem to be strongly influenced by age. The Pew report found that people over 65 are much more likely than the rest of the population to deny that there is solid evidence that the earth is warming, that it’s caused by humans or that it’s a serious problem(9). This chimes with my own experience. Almost all my fiercest arguments over climate change, both in print and in person, have been with people in their 60s or 70s. Why might this be? There are some obvious answers: they won’t be around to see the results; they were brought up in a period of technological optimism; they feel entitled, having worked all their lives, to fly or cruise to wherever they wish. But there might also be a less intuitive reason, which shines a light into a fascinating corner of human psychology. In 1973 the cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker proposed that the fear of death drives us to protect ourselves with “vital lies” or “the armour of character”(10). We defend ourselves from the ultimate terror by engaging in immortality projects, which boost our self-esteem and grant us meaning that extends beyond death. Over 300 studies conducted in 15 countries appear to confirm Becker’s thesis(11). When people are confronted with images or words or questions that remind them of death they respond by shoring up their worldview, rejecting people and ideas that threaten it and increasing their striving for self-esteem(12). One of the most arresting findings is that immortality projects can bring death closer. In seeking to defend the symbolic, heroic self that we create to suppress thoughts of death, we might expose the physical self to greater danger. For example, researchers at Bar-Ilan University in Israel found that people who reported that driving boosted their self-esteem drove faster and took greater risks after they had been exposed to reminders of death(13). A recent paper by the biologist Janis L Dickinson, published in the journal Ecology and Society, proposes that constant news and discussion about global warming makes it difficult for people to repress thoughts of death, and that they might respond to the terrifying prospect of climate breakdown in ways that strengthen their character armour but diminish our chances of survival(14). There is already experimental evidence suggesting that some people respond to reminders of death by increasing consumption(15). Dickinson proposes that growing evidence of climate change might boost this tendency, as well as raising antagonism towards scientists and environmentalists. Our message, after all, presents a lethal threat to the central immortality project of Western society: perpetual economic growth, supported by an ideology of entitlement and exceptionalism. If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it? www.monbiot.com With thanks to George Marshall References: 1. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf 2.http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/44_say_global_warming_due_to_planetary_trends_not_people 3. http://www.desmogblog.com/2008-stats-global-warming-denial-blogosphere 4. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/proveit.aspx 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_8?rh=n%3A266239%2Cn%3A!1025612%2Cn%3A57%2Cn%3A278080%2Cn%3A922416&bbn=278080&ie=UTF8&qid=1257145116&rnid=278080 6. Clive James, 23rd October 2009. A Point of View. BBC Radio 4.http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n9lm3/A_Point_of_View_23_10_2009/ 7. http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/09/14/answers-come-there-none/ 8. http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5332261/an-empty-chair-for-monbiot.thtml 9. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf 10. Ernest Becker, 1973. The Denial of Death, pp47-66. Republished 1997. Free Press Paperbacks, New York. 11. Tom Pyszczynski et al, 2006. On the Unique Psychological Import of the Human Awareness of Mortality: Theme and Variations. Psychological Inquiry, Vol. 17, No. 4, 328–356. 12. Jeff Greenberg et al, 1992. Terror Management and Tolerance: does mortality salience always intensify negative reactions to others who threaten one’s worldview? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 63, No 2 212-220. 13. OT Ben-Ari et al, 1999. The impact of mortality salience on reckless driving: a test of terror management mechanisms. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 76, No 1 35-45. 14. Janis L. Dickinson, 2009. The People Paradox: Self-Esteem Striving, Immortality Ideologies, and Human Response to Climate Change.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org:80/vol14/iss1/art34/ 15. T. Kasser and K. M. Sheldon, 2000. Of wealth and death: materialism, mortality salience, and consumption behavior. Psychological Science 11:348-351, Cited by Janis L Dickinson, above. From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 16:18:52 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 02:48:52 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Tableau Vivant" on "Mahabharata Miniature" (Karachi, Pakistan) Message-ID: <911270.17888.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Toronto based artists and graduates of National College of Arts (Lahore, Pakistan), Tazeen Qayyum and Faisal Anwar are joining hands to create a "tableau vivant", an animation of a painting that combines seventeenth-century South Asian miniature painting with the nineteenth-century European tradition of recreating paintings as theatrical perfomances replete with elaborate sets and costumes.   The painting chosen by them is a ' traditional Miniature painting from the Kangra Tradition'. It depicts a scence from the Mahabharata where "Draupadi and her five husbands are at the end of their exile and going to return to their land"   Qayyum and Anwar have been working with third-year Fine Arts students from the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture as well as Babar Sheikh, who's band is providing experimental music for the show.   Titled "A Feast in Exile", the 'tableau vivant'  is being performed at Karachi's Alliance Francaise on 4th and 5th Nov, 2009.    Above given details taken from Text and voice at: http://animation.dawn.com/live_art/   More on "tableau vivant" at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tableau_vivant   Kshmendra   From javedmasoo at gmail.com Wed Nov 4 16:27:52 2009 From: javedmasoo at gmail.com (Javed) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 16:27:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' In-Reply-To: <64108.49176.qm@web112101.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <64108.49176.qm@web112101.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Dear Malik Why do you have a problem with my additional comments in the bracket. One extremism begets another extremism. That's why I am as much against the saffronwadis forcing Vande Matram on us as I am on the maulviwadis stopping us from it. J On 11/3/09, A.K. Malik wrote: > Hi All, > Our friends always blame the BJP/VHP or such other formations if they > speak anything right or wrong.By the way I couldn't get "What was the > trigger" for adopting such a resolution/fatwa and strangely it has taken > more than 60 years for the so called Maulvis to now know that it is against > Islam.Cheers for their intellect level. > If someone doesn't want to sing the National Song,let him/her not sing.There > is no Constitutional duty on anyone to do so. But issuing a fatwa to others > not to do so is definitely a divisive one.Javed has very commendably given > his observations but it would have been more welcome if he had not written > the addl comments in brackets. > > (A.K.MALIK) > > > --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Javed wrote: > >> From: Javed >> Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' >> To: reader-list at sarai.net >> Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9:08 PM >> Why should we listen to such a fatwa. >> All Muslims should condemn such >> a fatwa and ask these maulvis to mind their own business. >> We cannot >> allow them to be the spokespersons of all Muslims. >> >> (This is not to say that the Muslims should listen to the >> saffron >> brigade to sing Vande Matram necessarily). We have to >> oppose both the >> extremes. >> >> ======= >> >> Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' >> Times Now 3 November 2009, 11:41am IST >> >> Jamait-e-Ulema Hind or the JEU on Tuesday issued a fatwa >> against >> singing national song 'Vande Mataram'. According to a >> resolution, >> Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as its reciting is >> against the >> Islam. >> >> The resolution, which was passed at the Deoband national >> convention >> meet, says that Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as >> some verses >> of the patriotic song are against the tenets of Islam. The >> JEU leader >> said that the some of the line in the song is against >> Islam. >> >> Meanwhile, home minister P Chidambaram addressed a >> Jamait-e-Ulema Hind >> conference in Deoband today. >> >> Meanwhile, the Muslim Law Board justified the decision >> saying that >> (Muslims) can’t offer prayers to anyone but Allah. Kamal >> Farooqui, a >> prominent leader of the Board said, "We love the nation but >> can't >> worship it." >> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fatwa-issued-against-Vande-Mataram/articleshow/5191847.cms >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the >> city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net >> with subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 18:00:18 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 04:30:18 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <332615.97942.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Javed   Damn the 'saffronwadis". What do they have to do with 'VANDE MATARAM'. And damn the 'deobandi maulvis' too. Who are they to tell anyone in India what to sing or not to sing.   "Vande Mataram" is the National Song of India. It has been so accepted by the "People of India" in the Constituent Assembly. It would be nice if everyone sung it at appropriate occassions.   It has been in cognisance of one stanza of "Vande Mataram" containing references to Hindu dieties Durga and Lakshmi that it has been excluded and only two stanzas of the original have been retained as India's National Song.   Kshmendra   --- On Wed, 11/4/09, Javed wrote: From: Javed Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' To: "A.K. Malik" Cc: "Sarai List" Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 4:27 PM Dear Malik Why do you have a problem with my additional comments in the bracket. One extremism begets another extremism. That's why I am as much against the saffronwadis forcing Vande Matram on us as I am on the maulviwadis stopping us from it. J On 11/3/09, A.K. Malik wrote: > Hi All, >        Our friends always blame the BJP/VHP or such other formations if they > speak anything right or wrong.By the way I couldn't get "What was the > trigger" for adopting such a resolution/fatwa and strangely it has taken > more than 60 years for the so called Maulvis to now know that it is against > Islam.Cheers for their intellect level. > If someone doesn't want to sing the National Song,let him/her not sing.There > is no Constitutional duty on anyone to do so. But issuing a fatwa to others > not to do so is definitely  a divisive one.Javed has very commendably given > his observations but it would have been more welcome if he had not written > the addl comments in brackets. > > (A.K.MALIK) > > > --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Javed wrote: > >> From: Javed >> Subject: [Reader-list] Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' >> To: reader-list at sarai.net >> Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 9:08 PM >> Why should we listen to such a fatwa. >> All Muslims should condemn such >> a fatwa and ask these maulvis to mind their own business. >> We cannot >> allow them to be the spokespersons of all Muslims. >> >> (This is not to say that the Muslims should listen to the >> saffron >> brigade to sing Vande Matram necessarily). We have to >> oppose both the >> extremes. >> >> ======= >> >> Fatwa issued against 'Vande Mataram' >> Times Now 3 November 2009, 11:41am IST >> >> Jamait-e-Ulema Hind or the JEU on Tuesday issued a fatwa >> against >> singing national song 'Vande Mataram'. According to a >> resolution, >> Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as its reciting is >> against the >> Islam. >> >> The resolution, which was passed at the Deoband national >> convention >> meet, says that Muslims should not sing 'Vande Mataram' as >> some verses >> of the patriotic song are against the tenets of Islam. The >> JEU leader >> said that the some of the line in the song is against >> Islam. >> >> Meanwhile, home minister P Chidambaram addressed a >> Jamait-e-Ulema Hind >> conference in Deoband today. >> >> Meanwhile, the Muslim Law Board justified the decision >> saying that >> (Muslims) can’t offer prayers to anyone but Allah. Kamal >> Farooqui, a >> prominent leader of the Board said, "We love the nation but >> can't >> worship it." >> >> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Fatwa-issued-against-Vande-Mataram/articleshow/5191847.cms >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the >> city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net >> with subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 18:06:34 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 04:36:34 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar In-Reply-To: <215627.4572.qm@web112115.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <208103.2581.qm@web57205.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear AKM   My response to you would be dated, now that they (Services) have apologised and have put forward all kinds of excuses and blame-shifts.   Obviously they themselves (the Services) have come to the conclusion that they behaved in a foolish manner.   Kshmendra   --- On Wed, 11/4/09, A.K. Malik wrote: From: A.K. Malik Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar To: "Kshmendra Kaul" Cc: "Sarai List" Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 12:30 AM Hi Mr Kaul,             Are you inferring that those manning the Services team are fools and because of the defeat threat they didn't participate in the match? Regards,             (A.K.MALIK) --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: [Reader-list] Services (cricket team) expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar > To: "sarai list" > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:05 PM > Well done BCCI. Bravo! >   > Shame on you "Services" cricket team. >   > The J&K cricket team had (incidentally) trounced the > Services cricket team on 21st Oct '09, winning their match > by 9 wickets. That was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali 20/20 > competition. >   > Kshmendra >   >   > Ranji Trophy 2009-10 >   > "Services expelled after refusing to play in Srinagar" >   > Cricinfo staff > November 3, 2009 >   > The BCCI has barred the Services team from taking any > further part in the 2009-10 Ranji Trophy season after it > refused to play its opening Ranji Trophy game against Jammu > and Kashmir in Srinagar. The team, which is controlled by > India's defence ministry, opted out of the Plate division > game and did not travel to the city. Further action against > Services will be decided upon by the BCCI's working > committee. >   > "We are not going to Srinagar for the opening match. We > have been told to prepare for the next game," JP Pandey, > assistant coach of the Services, told the Indian Express. >   > J&K captain Vinayak Mane said he was aware only on the > morning of the match that the opposition was not going to > turn up. "I don't know why Services isn't travelling to > Srinagar. If security was the problem, they should have > raised the issue since BCCI released the schedule long ago," > he said. "It's big for cricket in the valley. The pitch in > Srinagar is newly laid and there was excitement here. This > match would have been a big boost for cricket here." >   > Farooq Abdullah, the president of the Jammu & Kashmir > Cricket Association (JKCA), said he had heard that Services > had been advised not to travel to Srinagar. "When everyone > else is here, including guest players and umpires, how is it > that they can't come?" he told the Times Now television > channel. "It completely negates what the prime minister, > home minister and defence minister say. I am going to take > this up very seriously with the government of India and I am > going to tell the prime minister and defence minister that > this will not do." >   > N Srinivasan, the secretary of the BCCI, confirmed that > Services Sports Control Board (SSCB), which manages all > sports teams of the Indian defence forces, has been > disqualified from the tournament for this season, pending > further action. "Action will be taken according to our > rules," he said. "The SSCB has been disqualified from > participating in the 2009-10 edition of the Ranji Trophy, in > accordance with the rules of the BCCI pertaining to domestic > tournaments. A decision on any further action against the > SSCB will be taken by the BCCI's Working Committee." >   > The Ranji Plate Division match was scheduled at the > Sher-e-Kashmir stadium, which last hosted a one-day > international against West Indies in 1986. The last > first-class game in Srinagar was in 2004 against Orissa. The > next fixture scheduled here is against Haryana on November > 10. >   > http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/432759.html >   >   > > >       > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From akmalik45 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 4 18:51:07 2009 From: akmalik45 at yahoo.com (A.K. Malik) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 05:21:07 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. In-Reply-To: <85295.29076.qm@web94710.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <836142.56477.qm@web112115.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Hi Mr Sengupta, This is the height of insensitivity shown by the people in Uniform. One aspect is the power instinct shown by them but the other one is punishment usually without inquiries by seniors when the security is intruded.They can get way with the insensitivity as would be the current case but they can't escape punishment if it is the case of intruding into the security. The poor fellows take the obvious option.Can't blame them.Blame the PMO instead. Regards, (A.K.MALIK) --- On Wed, 11/4/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: > From: subhrodip sengupta > Subject: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. > To: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9:59 AM > Interesting Articles, >  AM > Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was at Chandigarh's Post > Graduate Institute of Medical Research for 90 minutes today. > So was Sumit Prakash Verma — only that this was the time > it reportedly took the 32-year-old, suffering from kidney > failure, to reach the emergency section of the hospital as > personnel deployed for the PM's security sent his family > from one gate to another. Verma eventually got there but > didn't survive. > In a statement later, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) > said it "is saddened at the death of a patient at the PGIMER > during the visit of the Prime Minister... A full report has > been asked for." > The Verma family from Ambala Cantonment said they managed > to get through the security cordon only after one of the > security personnel got into their vehicle. Employed in a > jewellery shop, Verma is survived by wife Richa and two > sons, aged six and 12. > The Prime Minister was at the PGI from 11.30 am to 1 pm as > chief guest at the institute's annual convocation. The venue > of the ceremony was Bhargava Auditorium, located opposite > the emergency block of the hospital. A premier institute > catering to the region, the PGI is visited by hundreds > everyday. > The PGI, meanwhile, denied the family's claim, saying no > patient was denied entry from any gate, especially to the > emergency. In a statement, the institute claimed Verma had > been "brought dead" to the emergency OPD around noon. "The > patient had a history of end-stage kidney disease. He had > been on maintenance hemodialysis in a private hospital. > Today he was taken to a private hospital in Chandigarh for > hemodialysis, following which his condition deteriorated. > When brought to PGI emergency, he was found dead." > The Vermas have handed a written complaint to Director > General of Police SK Jain, demanding action against > securitymen deployed at the PGI. > In a press released issued later, Chandigarh Police said an > executive magistrate had been asked to conduct an inquiry > into the matter but "as per the family and PGI doctors, the > cause of death was complications arising out of diabetes and > renal failure."' > But Verma's relative Ruchi said: "My husband's uncle was a > kidney patient for the last few years and was undergoing > dialysis at a private hospital in Sector 35 (Chandigarh). > Even today, we came for his dialysis. But the doctors there > told us he needed to be put on oxygen and that later in the > day he could be brought back for dialysis. But when we > reached the PGI, nobody would let us in. It took us almost > an hour-and-half to reach the emergency where my uncle > started crying, saying he was in acute pain." > Arun Verma, sister-in-law of the patient, said the family > broke down on seeing Verma's condition and this finally made > one of the private security guards take pity on them. "He > sat with us in our car and took us to the emergency. I am > sure if the doctors had attended to him in time, he would > have been alive." > Contesting the family's claim, the PGI said that from 10 am > to 1 pm — around the time Verma was brought to the > hospital — 40 new patients were examined in the emergency > OPD. "All medical facilities in the PGI were functioning > normally. At no point of time was any hospital facility > closed," it said. > Express News Service > > What happens, > Well these guards like to maintain a Status, indeed, when > some wrong kind of people are rarely interrogated, others > would be stopped and harrassed for just arousing their > animal instincts. I've seen them all. The problem is when we > pay respect to Uniform's job, not risking to land up in > Jail, be it wrong or lethally wrong. Not everybody likes to > pick up a scuffle that > is..................................... > > >       Add whatever you love to the Yahoo! > India homepage. Try now! http://in.yahoo.com/trynew > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From indersalim at gmail.com Wed Nov 4 20:21:33 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:21:33 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <47e122a70911040651o7ed5e860x5233868edd17cfc4@mail.gmail.com> Dear Jeebesh thanks for this essay. Monbiot is one of most interesting actitivists in the world today whom i admire for insight and deep interest in the core issue: Survival on Earth. The problem is that, if a genuine activist-writer like Arundhati Roy writes about the ' land grab' by the Croporate/State, it is only seen as a polticial comment, and if Monbiot write it will be seen as essay on Environment. And what generates heat: it is the political, unfortunately not the Environmental, which is as political as political is. I have read some of his essays on 'Economy' and they are again very well researched and criticial about the times in Amercia etc. but again it looks only about Economy then. And there are writers who write generally about Life, an ariel view of what we are, and if it tends to penetrates deeply, it looks Philosophy etc, and finally pedagogy. For example, "the importance of scepticism" the phrase used by Clive James who believes that both the sides ( those who observe climate changes caused by Human beings, and those who dont believe so ) are right, and wrong at the same time. So what to do, with such scepticism. Given the fact, that we already know that benefits of "scepticism" weigh more, in comparison to "Matter of the fact", things. So, 'scepticism' is not the key word here, but the 'matter of the fact,' is, which means that we are in deep mess, which again means that environment is not only about trees, animals and bees etc, but it is about the hardcore reality of our present... Which again is something which takes us back to a book like ANCIENT FUTURES, where we need to know the shaministic forces embedded inside us, and the possiblity to return to that past, or to some deeper understanding of what LOVE is. Theortically, we tend to see tribal life ( not the one who is exposed to Modern Gagedtry as one is to opiumm, and then pushed to fight wars by proxy with the forces who dislodge him from the very base which sustained him and the rest for centuries, ) but on paper even, we see backwardsess in the times they live in, so we are out, in our ubran-semi-urban structures, something we call main stream. AND even if we dont see them backward, we at the same time, dont go back and live there amongst them. The chances of living simply are now going exitinct, if one can say so. The spaces, which sustained the human beings on Earth for millions of years, are now filled with doubt, hate and violence, and not ony the possiblity of disappareance of all of us, but other life forms as well. The future, by this analysis is terrible.... ( again, i am not paranoid, but for people like James Clives i am ) Things are too complicated, The other, word is LOVE wich has the power to save us from extinction. I use the word ISHQ-E-HAQIQI as something which is potent to tackle many problems which we are plagued with right now. This term Ishq-e-Haqiqi is usually understood as Love with God, which is its very limited use, i guess. The term has been appropriated by schools which again, see it as only second step after Ishq-e-Majazi ( Love with Human being/beloved). But, in urban scenario, i see Ishq-e-Haqiqi as something which critically loves nature, not as a romantic but as an activist and lover in a merged form. That way, perhpas, we might have a differnet look at what State is, what the Market is, etc...etc.. perhpas, Love with God, ( if there is one ) then it has to be political, perhaps, uttered as Love with Political ( there is one ) , which is the vital Second Step after Love with Human being. The political, then includes, Trees, animals and bees even... with love again inder salim On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 11:27 AM, Jeebesh wrote: > > dear All, > > Here is an arresting essay by Monbiot on the climate change denial. > It's an intriguing reality. Climate change is going to displace > millions and put substantial ethical pressure on ways of living of > people used to certain form of material life. This is not going to be > a simple conflict less process. > > Species survival is at risk :) > > warmly > > jeebesh > > "If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are > closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against > reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments > testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And > could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the > past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific > evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it?" > > http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/11/02/death-denial/ > > Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? Could it be about > something else altogether? > > By George Monbiot. Published in the Guardian, 2nd November 2009 > > There is no point in denying it: we’re losing. Climate change denial > is spreading like a contagious disease. It exists in a sphere which > cannot be reached by evidence or reasoned argument; any attempt to > draw attention to scientific findings is greeted with furious > invective. This sphere is expanding with astonishing speed. > > A survey last month by the Pew Research Centre suggests that the > proportion of Americans who believe there’s solid evidence that the > world has been warming over the past few decades has fallen from 71% > to 57% in just 18 months(1). Another survey, conducted in January by > Rasmussen Reports, suggests that, due to a sharp rise since 2006, US > voters who believe that global warming is the result of natural causes > (44%) now outnumber those who believe it is caused by human action > (41%)(2). > > A study by the website Desmogblog shows that the number of internet > pages proposing that manmade global warming is a hoax or a lie more > than doubled in 2008(3). The Science Museum’s Prove it! exhibition > asks online readers to endorse or reject a statement that they’ve seen > the evidence and want governments to take action. As of yesterday > afternoon, 1006 people had endorsed it and 6110 had rejected it(4). On > Amazon.co.uk, books championing climate change denial are currently > ranked at 1,2,4,5,7 and 8 in the global warming category(5). Never > mind that they’ve been torn to shreds by scientists and reviewers, > they are beating the scientific books by miles. What is going on? > > It certainly doesn’t reflect the state of the science, which has > hardened dramatically over the past two years. If you don’t believe > me, open any recent edition of Science or Nature or any peer-reviewed > journal specialising in atmospheric or environmental science. Go on, > try it. The debate about global warming that’s raging on the internet > and in the rightwing press does not reflect any such debate in the > scientific journals. > > An American scientist I know suggests that these books and websites > cater to a new literary market: people with room-temperature IQs. He > didn’t say whether he meant Fahrenheit or Centigrade. But this can’t > be the whole story. Plenty of intelligent people have also declared > themselves sceptics. > > One such is the critic Clive James. You could accuse him of purveying > trite received wisdom, but not of being dumb. On Radio Four a few days > ago he delivered an essay about the importance of scepticism, during > which he maintained that “the number of scientists who voice > scepticism [about climate change] has lately been increasing.”(6) He > presented no evidence to support this statement and, as far as I can > tell, none exists. But he used this contention to argue that “either > side might well be right, but I think that if you have a division on > that scale, you can’t call it a consensus. Nobody can meaningfully say > that the science is in.” > > Had he bothered to take a look at the quality of the evidence on > either side of this media debate, and the nature of the opposing > armies - climate scientists on one side, rightwing bloggers on the > other - he too might have realised that the science is in. In, at any > rate, to the extent that science can ever be, which is to say that the > evidence for manmade global warming is as strong as the evidence for > Darwinian evolution, or for the link between smoking and lung cancer. > I am constantly struck by the way in which people like James, who > proclaim themselves sceptics, will believe any old claptrap that suits > their views. Their position was perfectly summarised by a supporter of > Ian Plimer (author of a marvellous concatenation of gibberish called > Heaven and Earth(7)) commenting on a recent article in the Spectator. > “Whether Plimer is a charlatan or not, he speaks for many of us”(8). > These people aren’t sceptics; they’re suckers. > > Such beliefs seem to be strongly influenced by age. The Pew report > found that people over 65 are much more likely than the rest of the > population to deny that there is solid evidence that the earth is > warming, that it’s caused by humans or that it’s a serious problem(9). > This chimes with my own experience. Almost all my fiercest arguments > over climate change, both in print and in person, have been with > people in their 60s or 70s. Why might this be? > > There are some obvious answers: they won’t be around to see the > results; they were brought up in a period of technological optimism; > they feel entitled, having worked all their lives, to fly or cruise to > wherever they wish. But there might also be a less intuitive reason, > which shines a light into a fascinating corner of human psychology. > > In 1973 the cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker proposed that the > fear of death drives us to protect ourselves with “vital lies” or “the > armour of character”(10). We defend ourselves from the ultimate terror > by engaging in immortality projects, which boost our self-esteem and > grant us meaning that extends beyond death. Over 300 studies conducted > in 15 countries appear to confirm Becker’s thesis(11). When people are > confronted with images or words or questions that remind them of death > they respond by shoring up their worldview, rejecting people and ideas > that threaten it and increasing their striving for self-esteem(12). > > One of the most arresting findings is that immortality projects can > bring death closer. In seeking to defend the symbolic, heroic self > that we create to suppress thoughts of death, we might expose the > physical self to greater danger. For example, researchers at Bar-Ilan > University in Israel found that people who reported that driving > boosted their self-esteem drove faster and took greater risks after > they had been exposed to reminders of death(13). > > A recent paper by the biologist Janis L Dickinson, published in the > journal Ecology and Society, proposes that constant news and > discussion about global warming makes it difficult for people to > repress thoughts of death, and that they might respond to the > terrifying prospect of climate breakdown in ways that strengthen their > character armour but diminish our chances of survival(14). There is > already experimental evidence suggesting that some people respond to > reminders of death by increasing consumption(15). Dickinson proposes > that growing evidence of climate change might boost this tendency, as > well as raising antagonism towards scientists and environmentalists. > Our message, after all, presents a lethal threat to the central > immortality project of Western society: perpetual economic growth, > supported by an ideology of entitlement and exceptionalism. > > If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are > closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against > reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments > testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And > could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the > past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific > evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it? > > www.monbiot.com > > With thanks to George Marshall > > References: > > 1. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf > > 2.http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/44_say_global_warming_due_to_planetary_trends_not_people > > 3. http://www.desmogblog.com/2008-stats-global-warming-denial-blogosphere > > 4. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/proveit.aspx > > 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_8?rh=n%3A266239%2Cn%3A!1025612%2Cn%3A57%2Cn%3A278080%2Cn%3A922416&bbn=278080&ie=UTF8&qid=1257145116&rnid=278080 > > 6. Clive James, 23rd October 2009. A Point of View. BBC Radio 4.http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n9lm3/A_Point_of_View_23_10_2009/ > > 7. http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/09/14/answers-come-there-none/ > > 8. http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5332261/an-empty-chair-for-monbiot.thtml > > 9. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf > > 10. Ernest Becker, 1973. The Denial of Death, pp47-66. Republished > 1997. Free Press Paperbacks, New York. > > 11. Tom Pyszczynski et al, 2006. On the Unique Psychological Import of > the Human Awareness of Mortality: Theme and Variations. Psychological > Inquiry, Vol. 17, No. 4, 328–356. > > 12. Jeff Greenberg et al, 1992. Terror Management and Tolerance: does > mortality salience always intensify negative reactions to others who > threaten one’s worldview? Journal of Personality and Social > Psychology, Vol 63, No 2 212-220. > > 13. OT Ben-Ari et al, 1999. The impact of mortality salience on > reckless driving: a test of terror management mechanisms. Journal of > Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 76, No 1 35-45. > > 14. Janis L. Dickinson, 2009. The People Paradox: Self-Esteem > Striving, Immortality Ideologies, and Human Response to Climate Change.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org:80/vol14/iss1/art34/ > > 15. T. Kasser and K. M. Sheldon, 2000. Of wealth and death: > materialism, mortality salience, and consumption behavior. > Psychological Science 11:348-351, Cited by Janis L Dickinson, above. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Wed Nov 4 21:27:53 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 15:57:53 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <107577.32100.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <697995.14562.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Eve teasing could also be attributed to the general societal attitude which saw woman as an unpaid factotum at home that is also meant to produce babies. Outside she is seen as an object of desire- crass commercialisation of media & the entertainment industry having largely supplemented the perversion. Roving eyes out there in the streets are ever ready to disrobe visually. Chandni, since specialises in this subject she could as well elaborate on the history, origin & evolution of the menace…???... In the Indian context it is rather inexplicable that a culture that has more Goddesses than the gods where you have temples dedicated to sexuality & where the society generally continues to be matriarchal (in the sense that in spite of her socio-economic status ‘she’ remains a binding factor as well as a driving force) the obnoxious practice of subjecting feminity to ignominy has been allowed to creep in & is tolerated. Though the nuisance is prevalent all over, it appears to be more widespread across the Vindyachals northwards. It is quite normal for a man to be awed by a female figure. And very few women will not desire to be admired by men. But that is no licence to violate female modesty & deprive a human being of freedom. There could be potential rapists amongst the eve teasers. That Maulan Azad Medical College student went though the horror near her college in Delhi in the middle of the day a couple of years ago. The culprit, then, was a teenager. It is a nightmare for the girls to travel by the public transport during the peak rush hours in crowded buses where ‘groping’ is routine. It is even worst when the gang of private bus attendants make provocative gestures & comments in the backdrop of the jarring cheap music. It is disgusting that we tolerate and those who attempt intervention face the wroth of the goons. One wonders, there being so much of activism around, yet there is no campaign against eve teasing? Anti ragging movement is gaining momentum why shouldn’t there be awareness campaign about the day to day torture that ‘the other half of the society’ undergoes everyday. Women have to come forward (men who fantasise ‘Adam teasing’ could volunteer too even if it was for the reversal of roles). A long time ago my colleagues were shocked when they heard me complimenting a telephone operator for her beautiful voice (gracefully acknowledged by her-nobody had ever told her so) as if I had done something utterly wrong.(CAUTION: today one could face sexual harassment charges-pls don’t risk….). Do we miss the culture of inter sex dignified exchange of compliments? An innocuous “you look pretty in this salwar kammez; sari or skirt or trousers” particularly in a vernacular language is sure to raise eyebrows. A lady commenting on a man’s physical attributes risks her reputation. By the way the other day at the Delhi airport my attention was caught by something printed on a passenger’s T- shirt. Unaware, I focussed attentively only to figure out that it was “How I was Lehed” along with a ‘route map from Delhi to Leh’. When I lifted my gaze up to take a look at the ‘adventurer’ I found myself almost in a direct eye contact with a strikingly charming lady. Most probably aware that she was being stared at, she nonchalantly continued to wait at the same spot for the luggage to arrive. I sighed, I wasn’t too obtrusiveness after all. Sad my luggage arrived first. Regards all LA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:53:21 -0800 > From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com > To: meera.rizvi at gmail.com; kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com > CC: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > There obviously will be a fair bit of subjectivity involved in the interpretation of eve teasing,which is causing confusion to people. > To me,the so called admiring the beauty of a girl will not be eve teasing,while a girl who experiences harassment for a large part of her both outdoor and indoor life,any such appreciation will be intimidating. > > People adapt to their surroundings but it should be explicitly spelled it out in this case.If you are living in a society where more often than not strangers approaching girls have no sense of propriety, you should keep your well intentioned appreciation to yourself;or otherwise,approach the girl in a way that is least intimidating to her,preferably through a common acquaintance. > > Please read blogs to see what girls feel about strangers who approach them.Your intention really does not matter,its how the girl perceives it is what matters. > > Needless to say,if you were in say, the U.S. of A, where girls live in a far more secure environment,you might not be required to be so careful and considerate. > > > --- On Tue, 11/3/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > > > From: Kshmendra Kaul > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > To: "Meera Rizvi" > > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > > Date: Tuesday, November 3, 2009, 2:53 PM > > Dear Meera > > > > Very appropriately put by you: > > > > """"' Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > > disempowering to a woman - where she feels scared, nervous > > and violated. ........ So, in short, eve teasing, simply > > defined is an attempt to brow beat a woman, to undermine her > > will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. """""'' > > > > I do not agree though with the comment " These situations > > depict contempt rather than admiration." > > > > Wonder if you would agree that there is some graded > > evaluation to be recognised ranging from the "eve teasing" > > of the pre-puberty years on to immediate-post-puberty years > > and onwards. Would it also be reasonable to distinguish > > between "eve teasing" and "sexual harrasment" with the later > > resorted to by men in such positions and situations where > > they find it easy to intimidate and bully. > > > > Kshmendra > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/2/09, Meera Rizvi > > wrote: > > > > > > From: Meera Rizvi > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - > > Opinion Poll Results > > To: "subhrodip sengupta" > > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > > Date: Monday, November 2, 2009, 9:13 AM > > > > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > > > There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. > > Most women, and I > > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even > > if they do not > > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > > disempowering to a > > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These > > situations > > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > > someone rides their > > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing > > even though they > > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a > > lonely bus stop at a > > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > > makes most women > > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when > > one was with a > > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, > > it would be > > amusing. > > > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to > > brow beat a > > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the > > freedom of choice. > > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > > > Regards, > > > > Meera > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From asitredsalute at gmail.com Wed Nov 4 14:54:47 2009 From: asitredsalute at gmail.com (Asit asitreds) Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 14:54:47 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Statement of JNU Students on Pro-posco hooliganism in JNU Message-ID: *Statement of JNU Students on Pro –POSCO hooliganism in JNU* * * *Condemn hooliganism justifying corporate rule!!* Long live student’s unity and democratic ethos of the Campus! On 19th October, a group of apparently non-political, non-party students of Korean Centre barged in, in the public meeting organized in Tapti mess, in support of the mass resistance anti-displacement, anti-POSCO movement in Orissa. Exhibiting complete hooliganism, man-handling, abusing, they yelled slogans in support of the South Korean Steel Company. The speaker, Abhay Sahoo of the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, which has been leading the unrelenting struggle against the anti-people Corporate-State nexus for the last four years, was heckled along with students and supporters of the movement led them out, and later jointed by hundreds of students who were marching against the fee hike in the hostels, had spirited debate outside and inside Tapti. The meeting continued with renewed vigour. The incident makes us ask some inescapable questions: *How are a South Korean Company, the State and movement in Orissa, and the students of JNU community interwoven?* *How do we understand ‘education’, ‘employment’, ‘development’ and how are our own immediate personal lives connected with these?* *What does this speak of a democratic, progressive space that students have struggled to build in JNU?* The immediate implications of this form of ‘protest’ (which they called it) are a direct attack on any democratic ethos that the JNU community has struggled to build up all these years. It was a blatant exhibition of hooliganism, inflicting abuse and man-handling those supporting the anti-displacement anti-POSCO mass movement in Orissa. The group of students from the Korean Centre was mis-*led by the now ‘famous’ (sic) ABVP cadre Vishaal of the Love Jihaad fame.* But what is of concern is that most of them were self-professedly non-political not belonging to any Party which might have sectarian interests. It was ‘non-political’ action, as far as they were concerned. It is just that POSCO gives them scholarships and subject to the MNC coming to Orissa, their jobs were at stake. The slogans yelled were of “Anti-POSCO Down Down”, “Student Politics Zindabad” and ‘nationalist’ slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” The *South Korean Company POSCO is out to destroy the homes and livelihood, smash the local economy, raze down the fragile ecology and culture of over 30,000 people in 6,029 acres, will leave thousands of workers in Paradeep port and fisher-people unemployed, will capture 1000 million tons of iron are at Rs. 24/ton (market price $180) in Orissa’s coastal Jagatsingpur district.* Companies like POSCO and Vedanta seem to dole us jobs, better living conditions, promise us ‘development and progress’ and fulfill dreams of class-jumps. But these are the very Corporates which are out on a brutal, violent drive of profit maximization over the natural resource-capture, aided and abated by the policies of SEZ Act 2005, Land Acquisition Act 1894, and numerous Mous of a subservient State. *The notorious POSCO itself has been thown out of Vietnam in November 2008 following protests by local residents.* In Orissa, they have bought pro-POSCO supporters in the BJD-BJP, Police and goons who have let out a continuous reigns of terror and siege through armed and bomb attacks, then slapping over a 1000 protestors with 200 false cases each, surrounding the entire area, stopping flow of medicines and food since 2005. *Is this in the national interest? Is this guaranteeing employment, development and progress?* When we as students of JNU say we are ‘non-political’, that we are only talking about our innocent jobs as the logical end of our education, what we mean is a mere blind service to these very powers. But this kind of an incident is far more than just building new technologies for them and translating Korean for them. *This marks a naked assertion of justification for the same company which has so much blood on its hands.* In return the Company will throw some scholarships and jobs to their faithful agents. But we refuse to accept that spines of students are so cheap, and know that most of the students of Korean Centre and others are sensible enough to read behind the designs of these corporate games, and isolate the agents of multinational-profit-hunters in disguise of students seeking ‘development’ and ‘employment’ Lastly *we uphold the continued resistance given by the progressive students in this incident against the lumpens, and seeing to the continuation of the democratic ethos of the Campus. * * * *Signed: Amit, Nayan, Ramanand, Usman, Manbhanjan, Gyan, Anil Pushkar, Prakash, Shashank, Alok* From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Thu Nov 5 21:27:23 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 21:27:23 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Workshop on Community Radio in Mumbai (27, 28 Nov) Message-ID: Contact details at the end of the mail, in case this interests you. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Altaf Makhiawala ** Dear friends, Until now, the mention of the word radio would bring two contrasting images to mind, one would be the droning educational programmes of AIR FM, and the other is the ceaseless, ebullient banter of the cult of the radio jockeys of commercial FM stations - where content and music are only incidental to radio programming. In this duality of the past and the present, there is a third category that is little known and to be sure, little 'heard' of. This is the phenomenon of the Community Radio. But what is Community Radio? Community Radio is not just about broadcast content, it is more about the process of community engagement. It is about ordinary people having a presence in the media landscape, seeking support for their views and becoming responsible for their own content. Community Radio is also about the process of developing a critical view of media by making media yourself. At the practical level, CR is a medium which is affordable, readily available and portable enough to fulfill the needs of listeners. It stands for community ownership and control, community participation and is non profit in nature. In India, radio has been in the hands of the state ever since its inception. However, by the 1970s and 80s, with the attention of the government turning to television, radio had become a neglected medium, with AIR languishing in the shadows. A change came in 1995 when AIR launched FM broadcasts and allowed private producers to take slots on sponsorship basis. 1995 was also the year of the famous Supreme Court judgement: “Airwaves constitute public property and must be utilised for advancing public good”. Justice PB Sawant went on to say “Diversity of opinions, views, ideas and ideologies is essential to enable the citizens to arrive at informed judgment on all issues touching them. This cannot be provided by a medium controlled by a monopoly – whether the monopoly is of the State or any other individual, group or organisation.” After a long-drawn series of negotiations between government and interested individuals and groups responding to the 1995 Supreme Court judgement, a set of Community Radio Guidelines, limited to educational institutions, was announced in 2003. Its scope was later expanded to include civil society organisations as the Community Radio Policy of 2006. According to the CR Policy, the government can issue a maximum of 4000 Radio Station (CRS) licenses in India. However, there have been less than 300 applications and as of October 2009, only 57 had actually got licenses in hand for starting their CRSs. It's time for those with public communication on their agenda to wake up to this hard-won advantage. *Comet Media Foundation, in collaboration with Media Information and** **Communication Centre of India (MICCI), Frederich Ebert Stiftung (FES) and Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy (CAP) is organising a community** **radio workshop to spread awareness about CR and to encourage eligible NGOs to apply for licenses.* *This is where NGOs like you, who have been working in a particular field for more than three years,stand to benefit. You are eligible to apply for a licence to start a community radio station in your geographical area of operation.* There are many advantages of initiating community media for development - it fosters the community diversity and provides a space for voices of the marginalised within that community to be heard. This is a great opportunity for civil society to hear these vibrant and diverse voices through the CRSs. For initiating the process, one has to go through a lengthy and rigorous process, but the fruits of media pluralism and democracy are to be realised through such initiatives. Scheduled for the whole day on *27th November* and till *afternoon of the 28th*, the workshop would be of interest to those who wish to start CRSs to support their community work. The workshop would also have room for those who wish to contribute creatively to programming, to work out collaborations to share air time, to discuss not only media reception and issues of audiences, but also how media can be created so as to interest the listeners. *The themes planned for the various sessions are as follows:* • The basics of community radio (CR), principles and practices • Empowering community voices and navigating the regulatory landscape • The back end: technology to support CRS • Experiences of NGOs setting up and running CRSs • Content creation: once you get started, how do you generate programming? *Among the speakers will be persons from the following list (arranged alphabetically), subject to their availability:* • Aaditeshwar Seth: works on digital technologies to promote community media, Delhi • Amol Goje: heads VIIT campus station at Baramati • Navin Chandra of Union Park Radio of Khar-Bandra-Santa Cruz Trust • Sushama Shendge, MVSS Radio, Satara • Chhavi Sachdev: radio producer, running two streaming audio channels • Fr Richard Rego of Radio Sarang from St. Aloysius College, Mangalore • Frederick Noronha, journalist and Community Radio activist • Hemant Babu: Nomad Radio India • Indira Mansingh or her colleague Anuja from Radio Bundelkhand • Nandini Sahai: Honorary Director MICCI, Delhi Neeraj Hatekar: MUST (Mumbai University Students Transmission) • P V Satheesh or one of his colleagues from Sangham Radio, Deccan Development Society, Andhra Pradesh • Bharatiben: Kutch-ri-Vani radio of KMVS • Rajeshwar Dayal: Frederich Ebert Stiftung, Delhi • Ramnath Bhatt: Maraa, Bangalore • Sajan Venniyoor: Community Radio Forum • Shoba Ghosh: Professor of English and Film Studies, Mumbai Universty * * *Participation in Workshop on Community Radio* Please let us know if you are interested to take part in this unusual and intensive exposure. Confirm as early as you can, and tell us how many persons we could expect from your organisation.We request you to register yourself with a fee of Rs. 350/- to cover meals and refreshments for the two days. The venue will be in Mumbai. For latest updates please visit: http://cometmediafdn.wordpress.com/ Here we will be regularly - for the next month till the workshop - be uploading readings, links, info about speakers, participants and the evolving content of the seminar. Please feel free to comment and add your suggestions. For further details contact: Pooja/Sandeep - 022-2382 6674 /022- 2386 9052 Sincerely, Pooja Das Sarkar Workshop Co-ordinator Comet Media Foundation From kokopeli at gmail.com Thu Nov 5 22:55:59 2009 From: kokopeli at gmail.com (Sujata & Samantak) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 22:55:59 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Kerala bans GM foods, urges India to follow Message-ID: <556b1d6b0911050925t6997270cl66ce7907d86bf1db@mail.gmail.com> Dear All, The following might interest those who are trying to look a little bit into the future of food and food security in our country. Samantak South Asia Post, Issue 98 Vol IV, October 31, 2009 *Kerala rejects GM.* *CM urges PM not go ahead.* *IN a clear and cogent letter to the prime minister, the chief minister of Kerala * *has argued in detail about the dangers of the GM seeds * *and the threat from the multinationals to Indian biodiversity.* Here is the text of the letter. Shri. Manmohan Singh, Honourable Prime Minister of India, South Block, New Delhi. Greetings from ‘God’s own country’. I am addressing an important issue here - the introduction of GM crops and food in the State as well as in the country. I understand our stand on the GM crops and foods was already made very clear to the Union Agriculture Minister, Shri. Sarat Pawar, and to your kind self, by our Agriculture Minister, Shri. Mullakara Ratnakaran and the Chairman of the Kerala State Biodiversity Board,. V. S. Vijayan respectively. We are concerned about the introduction of the GM crops into the State. We had conducted a national workshop on the desirability of the GM crops sometime in April 2008 and, at the end of the two day workshop, it had come out with a unanimous resolution that the GM crops and foods should not be allowed in the State and, the resolution further says that we should also try to impress upon the Union Government in banning the GM in the country. A copy of the resolution is enclosed herewith for your ready reference. May I reiterate that the Kerala State has already taken a policy decision not to allow GM crops, even for trials, until the debate on the issue of GM that is going on the world over is settled for ever. We are convinced with the available information that: (a) GM crops are not economically viable for the farmers, (b) GM crops and foods lead to unimaginable health hazards, (c) GM crops contaminate the local and wild varieties, the damages of which are irrevocable and, such contamination of our traditional varieties cause irreparable damage to food security of the country (d) GM denies the farmers right to choose what he wants to sow in his own farm, and ultimately, (e) The country’s sovereignty over food and agriculture will be endangered. Moreover, we are convinced that the Genetic Modification of crops is not a solution for hunger as has been wrongly advocated by the proponents of the GM, because the genetic modification is done not to increase the productivity, but to control the insect pests or the weeds. I am sure, you would agree with me that there are several cheaper and environment-friendly options to control the pests and weeds. It may also be noted the Task Force on Application of Biotechnology on Agriculture headed by Prof. M. S. Swaminathan is unambiguous that the mega-diversity centres and biodiversity hotspots like Western Ghats shall be kept free of any GM experiments/crops. The Task Force report further recommends that even the transgenic research should not be undertaken in crops/commodities where our international trade will be affected. In this context, you may please note that Kerala is a State heavily depended on international market for its agricultural commodities. Any contamination from genetic modification can cause further damage in the trade prospects of the State. Kerala is also an important centre of diversity of medicinal plants and heritage of traditional medicines like ayurveda. Serious concern has already been expressed by the Ayurveda practitioners on GM research being undertaken on various crops. You would be delighted to note that the State has already declared an Organic Farming Policy, Strategy and Action Plan in 2008. Accordingly, the entire food crops would be converted to organic within five years and the cash crops within another five years. This will, apart from helping to feed the people with non-poisoned food, enhance our export possibilities with a high premium. However, introduction of GM crops will certainly defeat the very purpose of organic farming, because GM crops/foods are more disastrous than those from crops raised using chemical pesticides and fertilisers. It would also kill the State’s trade prospects. Considering all these, the Government of Kerala has taken a decision to prohibit all environmental release of GMOs and keep the State totally GM free. We would also request the Honourable Prime Minister to reconsider the policy on GM in the national scale and declare a moratorium at least for the next 50 years, so that we could learn the desirability of GM from other countries where it is being practised in large scale. We would urge the Central Government to respect the well informed decision of the State Government and issue necessary orders to all concerned Ministries not to permit any GM research or release of GMOs within the boundaries of the State. Such an order from the Union Government will further strengthen the federal fabric of our nation as enshrined in the constitution. With kind regards Yours sincerely, V. S. Achuthanandhan Copy to: Ministry of: Environment and Forests; Agriculture and Cooperation; Science and Technology; Health and Family Welfare; and Department of Biotechnology From pkray11 at gmail.com Thu Nov 5 23:41:02 2009 From: pkray11 at gmail.com (prakash ray) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 23:41:02 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Public discussion on the Maoists Message-ID: <98f331e00911051011n28c200d8wa9cc7c601e3a966@mail.gmail.com> Dear all, LEFTVIEW invites you for a Public Discussion on The Maoists' Role in India Today Speakers Prakash Karat *General Secretary, CPI (M)* Jayati Ghosh *Professor of Economics, JNU* *Chair: Prabir Purkayastha* *Delhi** Science Forum* Friday, 6th November 2009, 6.00 p.m. Muktadhara Auditorium 18-19 Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi (Near Gole Market) Sd/- *Dhananjay, Prakash, Srinivasan and Smita* *on behalf of* Leftview From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 6 00:38:51 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 00:38:51 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Toto Funds the Arts invites submissions from young photographers, writers, musicians and bands Message-ID: *From http://www.openspaceindia.org/Toto_announcement.html* ** *TOTO FUNDS THE ARTS ANNOUNCES 2010 AWARDS* *TOTO FUNDS THE ARTS (TFA)* invites submissions for its sixth annual arts awards for young photographers, writers, musicians and bands. There are five awards to be won – one for music (*Rs 50,000*), two for photography (*Rs 25,000* each), and two for creative writing (*Rs 25,000* each). *TOTO FUNDS THE ARTS *was founded in 2004, in memory of Angirus ‘Toto’ Vellani who was intensely passionate about music, literature, films and the arts. Toto’s untimely demise spurred his family and friends to create a non-profit foundation that would encourage the young to give expression to their artistic ideas. The annual *TOTO *awards are intended to recognize excellence in the fields of photography, music and creative writing. All submissions must be original and must be received before *November 15 , 2009*. Young persons from all over India between the ages of 18 and 30 are eligible to apply. Full details about eligibility and the application process for each award category can be found at http://totofundsthearts.blogspot.com OR can be obtained on request from totofundsthearts at yahoo.com Applicants are requested to send it their submissions only after checking the details pertaining to the application process. For enquiries about eligibility and other details contact: *TOTO FUNDS THE ARTS (TFA)* *H 301 Adarsh Gardens* *8th Block, 47th Cross* *Jayanagar* *Bangalore 560 082* *Email: totofundsthearts at yahoo.com* *For more information please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. * *Regards,* *Vindya* *(on behalf of TFA)* From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Fri Nov 6 03:28:46 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 13:58:46 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. In-Reply-To: <836142.56477.qm@web112115.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <836142.56477.qm@web112115.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <47636.30895.qm@web94716.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Thanks for your concerns Mr Mallick, Agreed, the PMo which has been defending every other recklessness of the people indulged in calling themselves the Union of India. Neither prosecutable, nor accountable, PMO. But this is not the first incident that concerns recklessness and getting away as U wisely pointed at, of, Security guards............... And guess why nothing is done to them. To boost up their this bulsh** moral. So that President's guards secure a promise of endless orgy..................... & I do not expect the PMO to meet justice either. I just state these mechanisms must be protested against these soldiers, instruments, who carry the masts and justify each illegal encounter................................................... Seeming too Hard, Mr Mallick. Ok let me share with you a story. I travel by Delhi Metro guarded by notorious CISF, why notorious, many of them have been posted at the IGI before even CISF was mobilised at metro, and are notorious there. So far, so good. They often have their own duty-related or allowance related problems. Do you know what order is given to give them the chivalry and make them happy, Search every bag, hard(instead of thoroughly). These men have all sorts of Defences to their rescue, mostly the hard hours of work, and have been often intercepted on the wrong foot, mainly a couple of senior inspectors. I marvel at the kuch nahin ho sakta attitude and only offer this that the roads of delhi have been rather kind for them. Subhrodip. ________________________________ From: A.K. Malik To: subhrodip sengupta Cc: Sarai List Sent: Wed, 4 November, 2009 6:51:07 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. Hi Mr Sengupta,                 This is the height of insensitivity shown by the people in Uniform. One aspect is the power instinct shown by them but the other one is punishment usually without inquiries by seniors when the security is intruded.They can get way with the insensitivity as would be the current case but they can't escape punishment if it is the case of intruding into the security. The poor fellows take the obvious option.Can't blame them.Blame the PMO instead. Regards, (A.K.MALIK) --- On Wed, 11/4/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: > From: subhrodip sengupta > Subject: [Reader-list] Another life claimed by PMO. > To: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." > Date: Wednesday, November 4, 2009, 9:59 AM > Interesting Articles, >  AM > Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was at Chandigarh's Post > Graduate Institute of Medical Research for 90 minutes today. > So was Sumit Prakash Verma — only that this was the time > it reportedly took the 32-year-old, suffering from kidney > failure, to reach the emergency section of the hospital as > personnel deployed for the PM's security sent his family > from one gate to another. Verma eventually got there but > didn't survive. > In a statement later, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) > said it "is saddened at the death of a patient at the PGIMER > during the visit of the Prime Minister... A full report has > been asked for." > The Verma family from Ambala Cantonment said they managed > to get through the security cordon only after one of the > security personnel got into their vehicle. Employed in a > jewellery shop, Verma is survived by wife Richa and two > sons, aged six and 12. > The Prime Minister was at the PGI from 11.30 am to 1 pm as > chief guest at the institute's annual convocation. The venue > of the ceremony was Bhargava Auditorium, located opposite > the emergency block of the hospital. A premier institute > catering to the region, the PGI is visited by hundreds > everyday. > The PGI, meanwhile, denied the family's claim, saying no > patient was denied entry from any gate, especially to the > emergency. In a statement, the institute claimed Verma had > been "brought dead" to the emergency OPD around noon. "The > patient had a history of end-stage kidney disease. He had > been on maintenance hemodialysis in a private hospital. > Today he was taken to a private hospital in Chandigarh for > hemodialysis, following which his condition deteriorated. > When brought to PGI emergency, he was found dead." > The Vermas have handed a written complaint to Director > General of Police SK Jain, demanding action against > securitymen deployed at the PGI. > In a press released issued later, Chandigarh Police said an > executive magistrate had been asked to conduct an inquiry > into the matter but "as per the family and PGI doctors, the > cause of death was complications arising out of diabetes and > renal failure."' > But Verma's relative Ruchi said: "My husband's uncle was a > kidney patient for the last few years and was undergoing > dialysis at a private hospital in Sector 35 (Chandigarh). > Even today, we came for his dialysis. But the doctors there > told us he needed to be put on oxygen and that later in the > day he could be brought back for dialysis. But when we > reached the PGI, nobody would let us in. It took us almost > an hour-and-half to reach the emergency where my uncle > started crying, saying he was in acute pain." > Arun Verma, sister-in-law of the patient, said the family > broke down on seeing Verma's condition and this finally made > one of the private security guards take pity on them. "He > sat with us in our car and took us to the emergency. I am > sure if the doctors had attended to him in time, he would > have been alive." > Contesting the family's claim, the PGI said that from 10 am > to 1 pm — around the time Verma was brought to the > hospital — 40 new patients were examined in the emergency > OPD. "All medical facilities in the PGI were functioning > normally. At no point of time was any hospital facility > closed," it said. > Express News Service > > What happens, > Well these guards like to maintain a Status, indeed, when > some wrong kind of people are rarely interrogated, others > would be stopped and harrassed for just arousing their > animal instincts. I've seen them all. The problem is when we > pay respect to Uniform's job, not risking to land up in > Jail, be it wrong or lethally wrong. Not everybody likes to > pick up a scuffle that > is..................................... > > >       Add whatever you love to the Yahoo! > India homepage. Try now! http://in.yahoo.com/trynew > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From ravikant at sarai.net Fri Nov 6 17:39:47 2009 From: ravikant at sarai.net (Ravikant) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 17:39:47 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Detailed program of J& K Dialogues Message-ID: <200911061739.48674.ravikant@sarai.net> Programme "*Multi Party Dialogue on the Political Future of J&K”* being organized by the *Centre for the Studies of Developing Societies* in collaboration with the *Nehru Memorial Museum and Library*. *Date:* November 7, 2009. *Venue*: Seminar Room, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti House. *Time*: 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. *Morning Session: 9.30 am to 1.30 pm* *Chair: Ram Jethmalani* Welcome and introductions *Order of Speakers*** *Mohammad Shafi Uri, *M.P. Rajya Sabha followed by discussion on National Conference’s proposal for *“Autonomy* ”. *Muzaffar Hussain Baig,* Former Deputy Chief Minister & *Mehbooba Mufti, *President PDP, followed by discussion on People's Democratic Party's proposal for *'Self Rule'*. *Abdul Gani Butt *and* Bilal Gani Lone *of All Party Hurriyat Conference:The Relevance, *Modalities and Implications of* *Plebiscite for Self Determination." * *Responses: Nancy Kaul *Daughters of Vitista, *and Ramesh Manwati:* Panun Kashmir, *Sanjay Tikkoo*: Kasmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (Sringar), *Susheela Bhan *Institute of Peace Research and Action*); Ellora Puri* (University of Jammu), *Afternoon Session*: *2.30 to 5-30 p.m. * * * *Yasin Malik* of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front :*"The Form and Content of Azadi.”* *Yuddhvir Sethi*, State Secretary BJPJammu District, *M.P. Magrey* and *Sheikh Mohammad* (Rajouri and Doda District). *Sonam Wangchuk Narboo* (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council), *Siddiq Wahid*(Islamic University of Science and Technology). *Saifuddin Soz*, Hon'ble Minister for Water Resources, Congress Party * * *3.30--5.30 p.m*.*.....Open discussion*. We look forward to your participation. Sincerely, *Madhu Kishwar* , *Shail Mayaram* Tea Breaks 11.30-11.45 a.m and 4.00 to 4.15 p.m. Lunch break.1.30--2.30 p.m * * -- Shail Mayaram Professor Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi Check this out- http://www.routledgegeography.com/books/The-Other-Global-City-isbn97804159919 40 ------------------------------------------------------- From indersalim at gmail.com Fri Nov 6 23:09:36 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 23:09:36 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? In-Reply-To: <47e122a70911040651o7ed5e860x5233868edd17cfc4@mail.gmail.com> References: <47e122a70911040651o7ed5e860x5233868edd17cfc4@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70911060939s1cac7c22u724a9af6783ea265@mail.gmail.com> Dear All "Hum Dum Merey, Maan bi javo, kahna merey payar ka. Aray halka halka surkh laboon pa, ranng to hai ikrara ka." ( O my beloved, be convinced now about my desire for you. Blush on your lips has the colour of willingness ) I just heard this popular bollywood song of sixties, which simultaneously powered me to repeat the lines inwardly while moving out in the market. I was thinking of ‘ eve teasing ‘ debate on the List too… But it suddenly changed to something else, the moment i inhaled the bitter smog out in the market. In my imagination I saw, myself, walking through a beautiful autumn hilly terrain, alone, looking at the rivulet but polluted by some Red Chemicals. Back on the streets in Delhi on this late evening, I see some young men burning plastic, dry twigs, fallen leaves, some paper, and some electronic waste material. The smoke gave me instant headache. And, here I am on the key board, writing but not writing. And I think again: One of the most ancient ways of celebrating life during wintry evenings was to set ablaze some dry twigs and fallen leaves, and then encircle the fire primarily to warm the body. The light of Red-orange-yellow of that fire going into the eyes, that way, used to ignite some deeper sensibilities and stimulate the inhabitants of that place to spend the nights more happily. Those evening are still around, somewhere far from the maddening urban spaces, or in dreams only.... But now, Alas, it does happen here too, but with a difference. A flame, of fallen leaves mixed with plastic and thrown away waste and what not, which may look beautiful from a distance, or in a painting, but not when you are walking next to it. It hurts now. It really hurts now… The people who do it usually are from very poor background and don’t know the hazards of the smoke emitting out of that fire. They inhale the poisonous air themselves and let others too inhale that poison. They don’t know what they are doing, so forgivable. But the authorities know all, but don’t how to control it and how to educate people about the dangers of this pollution. That is not all, the pollution level in the city goes up, because of other reasons as well. The smoke from factories and vehicles remains suspended in the air because of low temperature, which adds to the vows of average Delhi-walla. And there is no system to accuse the other, but it looks we all the party to this mass suicide, and yet we see people celebrating life, with deeper convictions, as if nothing is happening. The reason for that are explained by Monbiot already. However, West is conscious of the facts, and here is a press release … http://www2.cnrs.fr/en/1607.htm Air pollution in the urban environment : a large-scale monitoring campaign gets under way in Ile-de-France To better assess the impact of pollution produced by large conurbations, a monitoring campaign is being organized in the Paris area during the whole month of July. Coordinated by two laboratories belonging to INSU-CNRS (1) and carried out as part of the European MEGAPOLI project, the campaign will mobilize around twenty teams from France and other European countries. The number of instruments used and their innovative nature make this campaign the largest ever carried out in Europe aimed at studying particulate pollution in the urban environment. A wide range of methods will be used, including ground-based observations at permanent sites or from mobile platforms, airborne observations from French research aircraft, etc. A second field campaign is planned for the winter of 2009/2010. The impact of particulate pollution in large conurbations is harmful to air quality and to human health. It affects the climate on global, and probably regional, scales. However, the sources of carbon particulates (2) today still remain poorly quantified and poorly understood. Understanding them better is essential so that this type of pollution and its health impact can eventually be reduced. So the aim of the monitoring campaign being carried out in the Paris area this July is to quantify and describe these sources, whether primary (direct emissions (3)) or secondary (formation of particulates as a result of oxidation and condensation of initially volatile organic compounds). Ile-de-France (the region that includes Paris) was chosen as an area for study due its high population density, its relatively high pollution load, and its geographical location representative of temperate latitudes. To meet these goals, the consortium of French and European teams involved will make use of a huge range of instruments : • ground-based observations from three sites, one urban (located at the Paris Hygiene Laboratory) and two others in outlying areas, which will study spatial and temporal variation in pollutants in the conurbation. The IPSL's SIRTA site (4) at the Ecole Polytechnique and the site of the La Poudrerie golf course in Livry-Gargan will be used both to sample air masses entering the Paris conurbation and air masses that have been subjected to urban pollution in the conurbation. At the SIRTA site, dynamic parameters such as winds, turbulence, etc, will also be measured; • observations from several mobile monitoring vans to find out the extent of the pollution plume on the ground and the pollution load of air masses entering Île-de-France ; • observations via a monitoring network using active remote sensing (especially lidar (5)) and passive remote sensing (by spectrometry) will determine the vertical distribution of a number of pollutants over the region ; • airborne observations, with around ten flights carried out by the French ATR-42 plane, operated by the SAFIRE unit (CNRS / Météo-France/ CNES), will evaluate the processes of formation of secondary organic aerosols (6) in the urban plume; • observations from a tethered balloon (the Paris Air Balloon located in the André Citroën park), to study the vertical homogeneity of the pollution. Extremely innovative instrumentation will be set up at these platforms, whose goal will be the very detailed physical and chemical characterization of particulate pollution (concentration, size distribution of aerosols, chemical composition, optical properties, physical properties such as volatility, etc) and of its gaseous precursors. Toward better forecasting of air quality? The data collected will make it possible to evaluate and improve the models used for forecasting and simulation of air pollution in the short-term (such as the national PREVAIR (7) system, or systems used by air quality monitoring networks like AIRPARIF (8) in the Paris region) as well as in the long-term, for which scenarios of population and urban development for around ten large conurbations in Europe and elsewhere will be drawn up as part of the MEGAPOLI project. Ultimately, this European project should make it possible to describe the impact of megacities on air quality, the chemical composition of the troposphere, and climate change on regional scales. This campaign is backed by the European Union as part of the FP7, by INSU-CNRS through its national LEFE program, by the ANR and by the SEPPE program in Ile-de-France. On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 8:21 PM, Inder Salim wrote: > Dear Jeebesh > thanks for this essay. Monbiot is one of most interesting actitivists > in the world today whom i admire for insight and deep interest in the > core issue: Survival on Earth. > > The problem is that, if  a genuine activist-writer like Arundhati Roy > writes about the ' land grab' by the Croporate/State, it is only seen > as a polticial comment, and if Monbiot write it will be seen as essay > on Environment. And what generates heat: it is the political, > unfortunately not the Environmental, which is as political as > political is. > > I have read some of his essays on 'Economy' and they are again very > well researched and criticial about the times in Amercia etc. but > again it looks only about Economy then. > > And there are writers who write generally about Life, an ariel view of > what we are, and if it tends  to penetrates  deeply, it looks > Philosophy etc, and finally pedagogy. For example, > > "the importance of scepticism" the phrase used by Clive James who > believes that both the sides         ( those who observe climate > changes caused by Human beings,  and those who dont believe so ) are > right, and wrong at the same time. So what to do, with such > scepticism.  Given the fact, that we already  know that benefits of > "scepticism" weigh more, in comparison to "Matter of the  fact", > things. > > So, 'scepticism' is not the key word here, but the 'matter of the > fact,' is, which means that we are in deep mess, which again means > that environment is not only about trees, animals and bees etc, but it > is about the hardcore reality of our present... > > Which again is something which takes us back to a book like ANCIENT > FUTURES, where we need to know the shaministic forces embedded inside > us,  and the possiblity to return to that past, or to some deeper > understanding of what LOVE  is. > > Theortically, we tend to see tribal life ( not the one who is exposed > to Modern Gagedtry as one is to opiumm, and then pushed to fight wars > by proxy with the forces who dislodge him from the very base which > sustained him and the rest for centuries, ) but on paper even, we see > backwardsess in the times they live in, so we are out, in our > ubran-semi-urban structures, something we call main stream.  AND  even > if we dont see them backward, we at the same time, dont go back and > live there amongst them. The chances of living simply are now going > exitinct, if one can say so. > > The spaces, which  sustained the human beings on Earth for millions of > years, are now filled with doubt, hate and violence, and not ony the > possiblity of disappareance of all of us, but  other life forms as > well. The future, by this analysis is terrible.... ( again, i am not > paranoid, but for people like James Clives i am ) > >  Things are too complicated, > > The other, word is LOVE wich has the power to save us from extinction. > I use the word ISHQ-E-HAQIQI as something which is potent to tackle > many problems which we are plagued with right now. > > This term Ishq-e-Haqiqi is usually understood as Love with God, which > is its very limited use, i guess. > >  The term has been  appropriated by schools which  again, see it as > only second step after Ishq-e-Majazi ( Love with Human being/beloved). > > But, in urban scenario, i see Ishq-e-Haqiqi as something which > critically loves nature, not as a romantic but as an activist and > lover in a merged form. > > That way, perhpas, we might have a differnet look at  what State is, > what the Market is, etc...etc.. > > perhpas, Love with God, ( if there is one ) then it has to be > political, perhaps, uttered as Love with Political ( there is one ) , > which is the vital Second Step after Love with  Human being. The > political, then includes, Trees, animals and bees even... > > with love again > inder salim > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 11:27 AM, Jeebesh wrote: >> >> dear All, >> >> Here is an arresting essay by Monbiot on the climate change denial. >> It's an intriguing reality. Climate change is going to displace >> millions and put substantial ethical pressure on ways of living of >> people used to certain form of material life. This is not going to be >> a simple conflict less process. >> >> Species survival is at risk :) >> >> warmly >> >> jeebesh >> >> "If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are >> closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against >> reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments >> testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And >> could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the >> past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific >> evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it?" >> >> http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/11/02/death-denial/ >> >> Why the sudden surge in climate change denial? Could it be about >> something else altogether? >> >> By George Monbiot. Published in the Guardian, 2nd November 2009 >> >> There is no point in denying it: we’re losing. Climate change denial >> is spreading like a contagious disease. It exists in a sphere which >> cannot be reached by evidence or reasoned argument; any attempt to >> draw attention to scientific findings is greeted with furious >> invective. This sphere is expanding with astonishing speed. >> >> A survey last month by the Pew Research Centre suggests that the >> proportion of Americans who believe there’s solid evidence that the >> world has been warming over the past few decades has fallen from 71% >> to 57% in just 18 months(1). Another survey, conducted in January by >> Rasmussen Reports, suggests that, due to a sharp rise since 2006, US >> voters who believe that global warming is the result of natural causes >> (44%) now outnumber those who believe it is caused by human action >> (41%)(2). >> >> A study by the website Desmogblog shows that the number of internet >> pages proposing that manmade global warming is a hoax or a lie more >> than doubled in 2008(3). The Science Museum’s Prove it! exhibition >> asks online readers to endorse or reject a statement that they’ve seen >> the evidence and want governments to take action. As of yesterday >> afternoon, 1006 people had endorsed it and 6110 had rejected it(4). On >> Amazon.co.uk, books championing climate change denial are currently >> ranked at 1,2,4,5,7 and 8 in the global warming category(5). Never >> mind that they’ve been torn to shreds by scientists and reviewers, >> they are beating the scientific books by miles. What is going on? >> >> It certainly doesn’t reflect the state of the science, which has >> hardened dramatically over the past two years. If you don’t believe >> me, open any recent edition of Science or Nature or any peer-reviewed >> journal specialising in atmospheric or environmental science. Go on, >> try it. The debate about global warming that’s raging on the internet >> and in the rightwing press does not reflect any such debate in the >> scientific journals. >> >> An American scientist I know suggests that these books and websites >> cater to a new literary market: people with room-temperature IQs. He >> didn’t say whether he meant Fahrenheit or Centigrade. But this can’t >> be the whole story. Plenty of intelligent people have also declared >> themselves sceptics. >> >> One such is the critic Clive James. You could accuse him of purveying >> trite received wisdom, but not of being dumb. On Radio Four a few days >> ago he delivered an essay about the importance of scepticism, during >> which he maintained that “the number of scientists who voice >> scepticism [about climate change] has lately been increasing.”(6) He >> presented no evidence to support this statement and, as far as I can >> tell, none exists. But he used this contention to argue that “either >> side might well be right, but I think that if you have a division on >> that scale, you can’t call it a consensus. Nobody can meaningfully say >> that the science is in.” >> >> Had he bothered to take a look at the quality of the evidence on >> either side of this media debate, and the nature of the opposing >> armies - climate scientists on one side, rightwing bloggers on the >> other - he too might have realised that the science is in. In, at any >> rate, to the extent that science can ever be, which is to say that the >> evidence for manmade global warming is as strong as the evidence for >> Darwinian evolution, or for the link between smoking and lung cancer. >> I am constantly struck by the way in which people like James, who >> proclaim themselves sceptics, will believe any old claptrap that suits >> their views. Their position was perfectly summarised by a supporter of >> Ian Plimer (author of a marvellous concatenation of gibberish called >> Heaven and Earth(7)) commenting on a recent article in the Spectator. >> “Whether Plimer is a charlatan or not, he speaks for many of us”(8). >> These people aren’t sceptics; they’re suckers. >> >> Such beliefs seem to be strongly influenced by age. The Pew report >> found that people over 65 are much more likely than the rest of the >> population to deny that there is solid evidence that the earth is >> warming, that it’s caused by humans or that it’s a serious problem(9). >> This chimes with my own experience. Almost all my fiercest arguments >> over climate change, both in print and in person, have been with >> people in their 60s or 70s. Why might this be? >> >> There are some obvious answers: they won’t be around to see the >> results; they were brought up in a period of technological optimism; >> they feel entitled, having worked all their lives, to fly or cruise to >> wherever they wish. But there might also be a less intuitive reason, >> which shines a light into a fascinating corner of human psychology. >> >> In 1973 the cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker proposed that the >> fear of death drives us to protect ourselves with “vital lies” or “the >> armour of character”(10). We defend ourselves from the ultimate terror >> by engaging in immortality projects, which boost our self-esteem and >> grant us meaning that extends beyond death. Over 300 studies conducted >> in 15 countries appear to confirm Becker’s thesis(11). When people are >> confronted with images or words or questions that remind them of death >> they respond by shoring up their worldview, rejecting people and ideas >> that threaten it and increasing their striving for self-esteem(12). >> >> One of the most arresting findings is that immortality projects can >> bring death closer. In seeking to defend the symbolic, heroic self >> that we create to suppress thoughts of death, we might expose the >> physical self to greater danger. For example, researchers at Bar-Ilan >> University in Israel found that people who reported that driving >> boosted their self-esteem drove faster and took greater risks after >> they had been exposed to reminders of death(13). >> >> A recent paper by the biologist Janis L Dickinson, published in the >> journal Ecology and Society, proposes that constant news and >> discussion about global warming makes it difficult for people to >> repress thoughts of death, and that they might respond to the >> terrifying prospect of climate breakdown in ways that strengthen their >> character armour but diminish our chances of survival(14). There is >> already experimental evidence suggesting that some people respond to >> reminders of death by increasing consumption(15). Dickinson proposes >> that growing evidence of climate change might boost this tendency, as >> well as raising antagonism towards scientists and environmentalists. >> Our message, after all, presents a lethal threat to the central >> immortality project of Western society: perpetual economic growth, >> supported by an ideology of entitlement and exceptionalism. >> >> If Dickinson is correct, is it fanciful to suppose that those who are >> closer to the end of their lives might react more strongly against >> reminders of death? I haven’t been able to find any experiments >> testing this proposition, but it is surely worth investigating. And >> could it be that the rapid growth of climate change denial over the >> past two years is actually a response to the hardening of scientific >> evidence? If so, how the hell do we confront it? >> >> www.monbiot.com >> >> With thanks to George Marshall >> >> References: >> >> 1. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf >> >> 2.http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/environment_energy/44_say_global_warming_due_to_planetary_trends_not_people >> >> 3. http://www.desmogblog.com/2008-stats-global-warming-denial-blogosphere >> >> 4. http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/proveit.aspx >> >> 5. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_8?rh=n%3A266239%2Cn%3A!1025612%2Cn%3A57%2Cn%3A278080%2Cn%3A922416&bbn=278080&ie=UTF8&qid=1257145116&rnid=278080 >> >> 6. Clive James, 23rd October 2009. A Point of View. BBC Radio 4.http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n9lm3/A_Point_of_View_23_10_2009/ >> >> 7. http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2009/09/14/answers-come-there-none/ >> >> 8. http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/5332261/an-empty-chair-for-monbiot.thtml >> >> 9. http://people-press.org/reports/pdf/556.pdf >> >> 10. Ernest Becker, 1973. The Denial of Death, pp47-66. Republished >> 1997. Free Press Paperbacks, New York. >> >> 11. Tom Pyszczynski et al, 2006. On the Unique Psychological Import of >> the Human Awareness of Mortality: Theme and Variations. Psychological >> Inquiry, Vol. 17, No. 4, 328–356. >> >> 12. Jeff Greenberg et al, 1992. Terror Management and Tolerance: does >> mortality salience always intensify negative reactions to others who >> threaten one’s worldview? Journal of Personality and Social >> Psychology, Vol 63, No 2 212-220. >> >> 13. OT Ben-Ari et al, 1999. The impact of mortality salience on >> reckless driving: a test of terror management mechanisms. Journal of >> Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 76, No 1 35-45. >> >> 14. Janis L. Dickinson, 2009. The People Paradox: Self-Esteem >> Striving, Immortality Ideologies, and Human Response to Climate Change.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org:80/vol14/iss1/art34/ >> >> 15. T. Kasser and K. M. Sheldon, 2000. Of wealth and death: >> materialism, mortality salience, and consumption behavior. >> Psychological Science 11:348-351, Cited by Janis L Dickinson, above. >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com > -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From indersalim at gmail.com Sat Nov 7 00:08:13 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:08:13 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] I saw her Message-ID: <47e122a70911061038x2c3ef204o6b8de504d9f78d79@mail.gmail.com> -- I saw her. She was there, motionless, staring into my eyes. Her feet were pinkish and body dark grey. I saw her on the edge of our bath room’s small window. The space between iron grill and the broken glass pane was enough for her to sit. She was someone who had the ‘coping strategy’ innately embedded inside the system, so nothing to worry, no reason to intervene. I guess, she was on her two eggs , which she was unwilling to reveal. The way she filled some air in her feathers confirmed that she was on something more vital than her own life. We had just one feet distance in between which is more than enough for her to fly away in normal circumstances. But right now she on her eggs, actually meant that she is mentally prepared to face the situation whatever that be. Two three days passed, and all the family members knew that a special guest is on the window, and automatically felt the importance of not-to-look too closely into her eyes, lest she might feel scared. That was again our version. She was too strong to feel threatened by our looks. Her investment on the window was absolute: her total being. Nothing was outside, perhaps. She was a mother. Today, when I returned back from work and the moment I glanced carefully towards the bath room, I saw a pigeon, a dark one, similar to the one who was on the eggs, but why she has moved on the grill far from the eggs on the nest below. I wondered, but quickly saw the headless pigeon on one side of the corner, with no eggs, but feathers scattered all over. The movement I went closer, the pigeon who was there mourning the death of her friend, flew away, and left me sad. A cat had indeed jumped on her during the day, and she had no choice…. love inder salim From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Sat Nov 7 08:33:49 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 08:33:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: [YSC] Little Indians In-Reply-To: <5c57aee50911061856l60b76a73h58b227970ba731ca@mail.gmail.com> References: <4AEAF0BD.1050403@khaufpur.com> <5c57aee50911061856l60b76a73h58b227970ba731ca@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Nityanand Jayaraman Date: Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 8:26 AM Subject: [YSC] Little Indians To: youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com, acjenvironment2009 < acjenvironment2009 at googlegroups.com> * Little Indians. -------------- * Millions of little Indians, Hindus Muslims and others for them no law, no land, no fathers mothers brothers. They slave in little tea shops, they beg along the road, they sleep upon their little feet, they have no bed, no board. Government makes new budgets of which they are no part. Governments feed on government grants, they eat their little heart. The rich perform ablutions to please the gods above; the gods return their favours and increase their treasure trove. Little Indians find employment in hell holes we call factories; their lungs fill up with poison gas, government collects the taxes. Some little Indians go to public school in bus or car or jeep; a million others look for food in wayside garbage heap. Their schools are in Government file, their meals are part of Plan, but when nation needs an atom bomb, they eat whatever they can. Little Indians, they are taught to sing 'mera bharat mahan'; Little Indians wipe their hunted eyes - they wonder what is on. -- Badri Raina. .........................................................................-- .Arun Khote On behalf of Dalits Media Watch Team (An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”) .................................................................. Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit issues is primary objective of the PMARC. Visit web site Click here to unsubscribe The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. ____________________________________________________________ Believe it or not, you received this message because you've subscribed to the icjb-planning at lists.studentsforbhopal.org mailing list. And also because you're totally cool. But, hey - we can't all be cool ALL the time. So if you'd like to be removed from the list, you can do so yourself. Simply send ANY message to icjb-planning-unsubscribe at lists.studentsforbhopal.org. If you're curious about list information and functions (though I can't imagine who would be) you can read all about them (oh, joy!) at http://lists.studentsforbhopal.org/lists/info/icjb-planning. Justice for Bhopal! www.studentsforbhopal.org --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "Youth for Social Change" mailing list. To post to this group, send email to youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to youthforsocialchange-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/youthforsocialchange -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- -------------- next part -------------- ____________________________________________________________ Believe it or not, you received this message because you've subscribed to the icjb-planning at lists.studentsforbhopal.org mailing list. And also because you're totally cool. But, hey - we can't all be cool ALL the time. So if you'd like to be removed from the list, you can do so yourself. Simply send ANY message to icjb-planning-unsubscribe at lists.studentsforbhopal.org. If you're curious about list information and functions (though I can't imagine who would be) you can read all about them (oh, joy!) at http://lists.studentsforbhopal.org/lists/info/icjb-planning. Justice for Bhopal! www.studentsforbhopal.org From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 7 21:25:23 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 21:25:23 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] SEEDS INDIA invites submissions from photographers and writers In-Reply-To: <781342.47248.qm@web65410.mail.ac4.yahoo.com> References: <781342.47248.qm@web65410.mail.ac4.yahoo.com> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: sarika g Date: Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 1:57 PM I work with an NGO called SEEDS INDIA (www.seedsindia.org) and we work in the field of sustainable development with a focus on disaster management. As a part of it we ve stated a new initiative called Adaptation Action Now! which is a call to look at the plight of people whose lives are already being devastated by effects of climate change. As part of this campaign we are organising a slew of activities in Delhi on 5th and 6th of December which is the weekend before the world leaders meet in Copenhagen for the next round of negotiations on climate change. The theme for the event this year is Climate Change and Himalayas. One of the things we have planned is a photo exhibition portraying the effects of climate change on Himalayas and Himalayan communities. We are looking at photographs or photo essays which show the impacts and changes climate change has brought into the lives of people living in Himalayas. The photographs can show anything from destroyed crops to receding glaciers. From excessive waste polluting Himalayas to increasing tourism impacting the ecosystem to just beautiful landscape which might vanish in a few years. We plan to exhibit these photographs at DLF promenade Vasant vihar on 5th and 6th Dec. coupled with a music concert which we are hosting at the same venue. Please consider this mail as an invitation for the concert also. We have various musicians from Himalayas playing different genres of music from rock to blues to metal to Himalayan folk music. We will bear the cost of printing the photographs so you are most welcome to recommend the size, paper sort of printing etc. the photographs remain your intellectual property and seeds ill have no right to further use them without your permission. As a part of the campaign we are also releasing a small report tentatively titled "Under the footprint". Through this report we are trying to highlight the vulnerabilities, impact and adaptation aspects of climate change in South Asia. We are looking for small write ups of around 200-300 words from various professionals working in the field which will be included in the report. These write-ups can be about impacts or changes or adaptation strategies or just human stories. It will be a collaborative online document which will then be published. We would be really grateful if you contribute to the same. All the contributors will be given due credit in the report. I am attaching a list of broad topics/ issues I could come up with and also a one page write up outlining our thinking and approach. You can use any one of them or write about anything which is close to your heart. You can also use this document as a guide or reference for selecting your photographs. I would be really grateful if you could help us out in this endeavor. Hoping for your help and waiting for your response. Sincerely Saurabh Consultant - Climate Change SEEDS INDIA (www.seedsindia.org) 0 93107 89198 *P.S. : Please forward this mail to your friends and colleagues, who you think will be interested in this project.* * * __._,_.___ From cubbykabi at yahoo.com Mon Nov 9 11:00:20 2009 From: cubbykabi at yahoo.com (kabi cubby sherman) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 11:00:20 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: [vikalpmumscreenings] Vikal@Alliance: The Lightning Testimonies by Amar Kanwar, Nov. 13 Message-ID: <625130.62804.qm@web94713.mail.in2.yahoo.com> sorry for cross and previous postings..... kabi Meter Down - काली पीली की कहानी blog: http://meterdown.wordpress.com podcast: http://feeds2.feedburner.com/meterdown ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: The Vikalp Archive To: vikalpmumscreenings at yahoogroups.com Sent: Sat, 7 November, 2009 3:39:20 PM Subject: [vikalpmumscreenings] Vikal at Alliance: The Lightning Testimonies by Amar Kanwar, Nov. 13 The Vikalp Archive, Mumbai presents: The Bombay Premiere of THE LIGHTNING TESTIMONIES (RAUSHAN BAYAN) By AMAR KANWAR THE FILMMAKER WILL BE PRESENT FOR AN INTERACTION FOLLOWING THE SCREENING PLEASE COME AND CIRCULATE THIS WIDELY WHEN: Friday, November 13th, 6.30 pm WHERE: Alliance Francaise, Theosophy Hall, 40 New Marine Lines, Next to Nirmala Niketan College, Churchgate,Mumbai 400 020, Tel: 22036187 ABOUT THE FILM THE LIGHTNING TESTIMONIES (113 minutes, documentary, several languages with English subtitles) Why is one image different from the other? Why does an image seem to contain many secrets? What can release them so as to suddenly connect with many unknown lives. The Lightning Testimonies reflects upon a history of conflict in the Indian subcontinent through experiences of sexual violence. As the film explores this violence, there emerge multiple submerged narratives, sometimes in people, images and memories, and at other times in objects from nature and everyday life that stand as silent but surviving witnesses. In all narratives the body becomes central - as a site for honour, hatred and humiliation and also for dignity and protest. As the stories unfold, women from different times and regions come forward. The film speaks to them directly, trying to understand how such violence is resisted, remembered and recorded by individuals and communities. Narratives hidden within a blue window or the weave of a cloth appear, disappear and are then reborn in another vocabulary at another time. Using a range of visual vocabularies the film moves beyond suffering into a space of quiet contemplation, where resilience creates a potential for transformation. CREDITS Direction – Amar Kanwar Editing – Sameera Jain Camera – Ranjan Palit Sound – Suresh Rajamani Assistant Director – Sandhya Kumar Graphic Design – Sherna Dastur ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vikalpmumscreenings/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vikalpmumscreenings/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: vikalpmumscreenings-digest at yahoogroups.com vikalpmumscreenings-fullfeatured at yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: vikalpmumscreenings-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Mon Nov 9 12:32:02 2009 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 12:32:02 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] MAY BE WE ARE BADLY IN NEED OF A RE-BOOTING WITH THE IDEAS OF MODERNITY (Book Review) Message-ID: <1f9180970911082302p7e3bad11h133504a17cbdf4e9@mail.gmail.com> MAY BE WE ARE BADLY IN NEED OF A RE-BOOTING WITH THE IDEAS OF MODERNITY Review of A FORGOTTEN LIBERATOR: The life and Struggle of Savitribai Phule (Editors: Braj Ranjan Mani & Pamela Sardar) (Pages:100; Price: Rs 200.00) Published by: Mountain Peak Kanu Chamber, C-2, Sanwal Nagar. New Delhi-110049 Email: office at mountainpeak.biz Perhaps we get hold of the much sought after stuff in this tiny edition . This is a few remarkable accounts by six authors on the unique aspects of the lives and thoughts of the Phules , differently highlighted in each essay . Some of the essays also tell us about a few women and men without whose active support , the struggles might not have taken the course as they did. Names of Jyotirao Phule and Savitri Phule, the great fighters for causes linked to human dignity and reason, not unheard by people outside Maharashtra though, we seem to have had very little access to the details of their personal-political lives. This volume helps in a big way to fulfill the gap. Certainly, Savitribai Phule is in focus in all these essays . Translation of three letters penned by Savitri to Jyotiba in Marati in 1856, 1868 and 1877 with the caption “Love Letters Unlike Any Other” and a matching introduction by Sunil Sardar is one of them. There is a section comprising few photos and illustrations depicting Savitri Phule’s personal and public life. In another, entitled as ‘Poineering Engaged Writing’, Sunil Sardar and Victor Paul present the translation of Savitri’s five poems written in Marati. These poems show the fervor with which early reformers of modern era greeted the agenda of education , particularly English education which had a refreshing content entirely different from which constituted the traditional idea of learning. There is a brief chronology of Savitribai’s life , bibliography of her writings and a suggested list of readings appended to the book. A wonderful essay authored by Muktabai, a eleven year old dalit girl who studied at the Pune school for girls set up by the Phules, is also part of this volume . The essay first published in 1855 , is translated from Marati and has been introduced by Braj Ranjan Mani under a separate caption. In his detailed introduction to the book, the editor Braj Ranjan Mani observes: “It is indeed a measure of the ruthlessness of elite-controlled knowledge- production that a figure as important as Savitribai Phule fails to find any mention in the history of modern India. This is not to deny the works by Marati authors….Her life and struggle, however, deserves to be appreciated by a wider spectrum, and made known to non-Marati people as well..” Commenting about the relevance of the Phule struggles, the editor rightly points out : “..Their distinct brand of socio-cultural radicalism was based on uniting all the oppressed, whom they would call stree-shudra-atishudra”. . . Questions initiated by extra ordinary visionaries would look so casual and even ridiculous as they emerge in the first place. Nevertheless, it is not until much later on a time scale that we are able to see more to them; that what had happened was nothing less than history. We then learn to ask similar questions by ourselves sometimes with much lesser confidence and more or less in a timid voice .In a course of time we even forget that these would never have reached our mundane thoughts had them not been asked earlier with much personal courage and strength of conviction by the markers of milestones in history. The unrelenting nature of day to day struggles through which Savitribai Phule together with her beloved life partner Jyotirao Phule could almost upset an entire system of institutionalized privileges and deprivations are amply highlighted in this compilation . The Brahmanical village hierarchy was disproportionately more powerful and firmly rooted in its ideology of exclusivity as against the modernist interventions by Satyasodhak Samaj toward its reform. Through the kind of educational activism motivated by the great values of social inclusion and egalitarianism, Phules had to undergo moments of the toughest challenge in their personal lives. Nevertheless, they could sustain the extremely precarious dynamic of these struggles. In these days of ‘post modern’ thinking, we often fail to look back to the painful historical process through which major chunk of population of this country comprising sections of Sudhras, Atisudras and women could successfully voice their demands for inclusion as dignified human beings. Pamela Sardar in one of the essays gives a touching account of how Jyotiba’s cousin , Sagunabai Kshirsagar played the role of great mentor of the Phule couple. As Jyotiba’s mother died when he was too young, Sugunabai who was a child widow played the part of both his mother and mentor. There is a narration about how Sugunabai intervened positively to change the entire course of life of Jyotiba. Thanks to the help of her employer Mr. John (a missionary ), an English Officer and another person called Gaffar Beg(a Muslim scholar), she succeeded in reversing the decision of Jyotiba’s father Govindarao to take back Jyotiba to the family business of selling flowers even before completing his schooling. Only Sugunabai’s foresight and timely intervention in getting him readmitted helped. The persuasion by a Brahmin clerk working in his shop was too strong to ignore for a shudra those times: “..Your son would be of no use for business, and more important, our Hindu Dharma does not allow a shudra to get education. An educated shudra and his whole clan suffer in hell for seven generations!” In another essay penned by Gail Omvedt, equally interesting and touching touching account related to Savitribai’s mission of educating girls of the lower castes is given. Savitribai suffered not just constant verbal abuses from the Brahman women in the neighborhood, but also had to carry two sets of clothing as she went to teach in the school for girls in Pune (which was founded by the couple in 1851). Brahmin women regularly threw dung at her and men occasionally stoned her as she walked up to her school.! Similarly, Cynthia Stephen writes in her piece: “The young couple faced severe opposition from almost all sections. Savitribai was subject to intense harassment everyday as she walked to the school. Stones, mud and dirt were flung at her as she passed”. Cynthia goes further to describe how the perseverance of the Phules succeeded in spite of all these malicious deeds by representatives of the Brahmanical mainstream. By gaining the goodwill of people from different walks of life including a distinguished Muslim gentleman, few scholars, officials and educationists the schools run by Phules got firmly established in a short period of time. By 1852 November, the educational department of the government even organized a public felicitation of the Phule couple. In the same essay, there is another interesting narration about how two dalit men hired by the local Brahmans appeared with swords to assassinate Phule at his home, and how terribly they were impressed by the great personality. Following a brief course of dialogue with these misguided people, Phule ultimately had these dalit men joining the revolutionary plank of social reform.. The bold strides marched by Savithribai and her husband through the Satyasodhak Samaj, in providing the most needed social space for widows , children of unwed mothers subjected to ostracizing by the Hindu culture, remarrying of young Hindu widows sans ceremonial service of Brahman priests, educating women and the underprivileged etc, would perhaps be unthinkable even for the present day reformers in spite of being equipped by the unique constitutional mechanism of Independent India. Victor Paul in the essay titled ‘A Relentless Truth seeker’ lashes out at the Brahmanical nationalists while juxtaposing their typical attitude with that of the Phule couple’s preceding agenda of social reforms in the pre independent India: “(Nationalism in India….)While depicting the British period as a shameful and forgettable episode in an otherwise glorious historical and cultural saga of their nation , the nationalists conveniently overlook the fact that they themselves were the great beneficiaries of the plunder of the colonial era. Not surprisingly, almost all nationalist intellectual exercises of the period, appear to be an attempt to hoodwink the masses by blaming the British for all uncomfortable and nefarious internal issues..” Many of the vital aspects of reforms taken up by Jyotiba and Savitribai remain to be fulfilled these days , despite the heightened awareness on caste and Hinduism thanks to the teachings of Babasaheb Ambedkar and by many others later. Unfortunately for many of us, this state of affairs is much likely to continue as long as the agenda of social reforms that constantly fails this country is far from being acknowledged at a wider level. It is precisely at this juncture this book has to tell us a lot both in first person accounts and otherwise. It would be worthwhile to quote Gopal Guru : ” ..Dalits are expected to take the initiative in giving moral lead to doing theory in the country. This orientation would thus remove the cultural hierarchies that tend to divide social science practice into theoretical brahmins and empirical shudras. Ultimately social science in India would fulfill the fondest hopes by expanding the social base of its conceptual landscape...”(How Egalitarian Are Social Sciences In India?- EPW Article,2001) - K.M.Venugopalan -- -- You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 9 15:38:53 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 02:08:53 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] test mail Message-ID: <446475.70440.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 9 15:41:50 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 02:11:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Kashmiriyat, Syncretic Culture & so called "Aazadi" Movement aftermath Message-ID: <830736.60127.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> As circulated :   """"""   One Day trip to Rainawari Temples..... ....Videos of temples situated in Rainawari Area. Shiv Mandir, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=gV9GsfPkTdg Shiv Temple, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=HCuWsV- B6og Shiv Temple, Near Bridge, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=XPoZSrIk9ro Shiv Temple, Near Mishan Sahib, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=sXopboCOO0k Shiv Temple, Near VB College, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=NgnmuzXWshk Shri Vaital Bhairav, Mal Mohalla, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=sdTK7Mltwss Shri Vaital Bhairav, Motiyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=LxdcW6Uwttw Shri Gopantar Ashram, Bagh-i-Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=7gFFhlyhmxE   """""""""   From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 9 15:50:43 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 02:20:43 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Kashmiriyat, Syncretic Culture & so called "Aazadi" Movement aftermath In-Reply-To: <422274.64638.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <545688.77038.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> (repeating mail with weblinks corrected)   As circulated :   """"""   One Day trip to Rainawari Temples..... ....Videos of temples situated in Rainawari Area. Shiv Mandir, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV9GsfPkTdg Shiv Temple, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCuWsV-B6og Shiv Temple, Near Bridge, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPoZSrIk9ro Shiv Temple, Near Mishan Sahib, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXopboCOO0k Shiv Temple, Near VB College, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgnmuzXWshk Shri Vaital Bhairav, Mal Mohalla, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdTK7Mltwss Shri Vaital Bhairav, Motiyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxdcW6Uwttw Shri Gopantar Ashram, Bagh-i-Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gFFhlyhmxE   """"""""" From markcmarino at gmail.com Fri Nov 6 04:41:06 2009 From: markcmarino at gmail.com (Mark Marino) Date: Thu, 5 Nov 2009 15:11:06 -0800 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Fwd: [ELO-MEMBERS] ELO_AI: Call for Submissions (12/15/09, 6/3-6/6/10) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <287213f30911051511i3c91e266w376596aee5d0c787@mail.gmail.com> _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Fri Nov 6 17:46:46 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (JavaMuseum) Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:16:46 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?=5BAnnouncements=5D_Call_for_entries?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=3A_JavaMuseum_2010_-_Celebrate!?= Message-ID: <20091106131646.A62C2B6D.D0B19126@192.168.0.3> Call for proposals ongoing from 1 September 2009-1September 2010 Celebrate! 2010 - 10 Years JavaMuseum - JavaMuseum - Forum for Internet Technology in Contemporary Art is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2010, but that's not all --> in addition [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2010, as well. On this occasion, JavaMuseum is planning a big show online, entitled: "CELEBRATE!" Founded in 2000 and active since 2001 as a corporate part of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork:||cologne JavaMuseum is one of the relevant platforms for Internet based art on the net. Under the direction of Wilfried Agricola de Cologne, JavaMuseum realised more than 20 showcases and competitions of netart in a global context between 2001 and 2009 and is hosting a comprehensive collection of netart since 2000 including more than 400 artists and 1000 art works. In 2006, JavaMuseum launched - JIP - JavaMuseum Interview Project containing meanwhile more than 80 interviews with expersts and artists in the fields of digital and electronic art. On occasion of its 10th anniversary, JavaMuseum is planning to launch in autumn 2010 a netart show, entitled: Celebrate! in order to celebrate netart as an exciting, but anyway widely underestimated art genre, yet. This represents the best reason for inviting artists active on the fields of new, digital and electronic media to submit their latest or their older netart art projects which may originate from the years 2000-2010. Please find the details, regulations and entry form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=1428 -------------------------------------------------------- JavaMuseum - Forum for Internet Technology in Contemporary Art http://www.javamuseum.org and JIP - JavaMuseum Interview Project http://jip.javamuseum.org are corporate parts of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne the experimental platform for art and new media from Cologne/Germany info[at]nmartproject.net -------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Thu Nov 5 14:20:03 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (m/a/c) Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:50:03 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?=5BAnnouncements=5D_Call_for_entries?= =?iso-8859-1?q?=3A_Found_Footage!_-_extended_deadline?= Message-ID: <20091105095003.85C3E1CC.13A91D01@192.168.0.3> Call for entries extended deadline 15 November 2009 Found Footage! Christmas 2009 feature on VideoChannel According to [Wikipedia] --> "Found footage is a filmmaking term which describes a method of compiling films partly or entirely of footage which has not been created by the filmmaker, and changing its meaning by placing it in a new context. The term refers to the "found object" (objet trouvé) of art history." VideoChannel is looking for some excellent films and videos using "found footage" as a relevant component of the film/video making which are planned to form also the basis for FFF (Found Footage Film) collection. For the online feature in December and later physical screenings, however, is most relevant, that no authors rights are violated by the creator using "found footage". Please find the details and entry form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=1569 ------------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - video project environments http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is a corporate part of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne www.nmartproject.net - the experimental platform for art and new media operating from Cologne/Germany info(at)nmartproject.net ------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From machleetank at gmail.com Sun Nov 8 14:18:23 2009 From: machleetank at gmail.com (Jasmeen Patheja) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 14:18:23 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> References: <8e2bace60911010554x15c7cb18gad7f187deb2d9dc5@mail.gmail.com> <803257.10041.qm@web94711.mail.in2.yahoo.com> <2ec0b0550911011943t10464cd4o86ccd7cbce576cf0@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: @ Meera and your response to Subhrodip I agree that there is no problem in showing your liking towards someone , but the question is HOW? how are you expressing it? does it sometimes take the form of stalking? 10 years ago I was stalked for 15 kms. I was on the bus and he was on the bike and he stopped at every bus stop and then it was my turn to get off the bus. I had to confront him and ask him why he was stalking me. He said he only wanted to ask me out for coffee and then he laughed. It was frightening. Yes he simply expressed interest in an unwanted aggressive persuasive manner. Could we put him in the category of men who hear 'yes for no'- (*ladki ki na mein haan hai*). Or how do we respond to Annie's story http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/08/tale-of-lovelustwhateveritwas.html#links What form does this expression take? How much of it is a series of misinterpretations? How much of it is intends to intimidate? Blank Noise lists 'looking' in the 'eve teasing' opinioin poll and in the past it has been debated, questioned, rejected, accepted for its place there. This is not to say 'don't look' but to question HOW one is looking or how and or where one is looking. @ Rakesh Yes women do have the right to protest, to respond, to react but it is extremely challenging to walk around believing you( female ) can, because there's been such a history of fearing men, and of public spaces that belong mostly to men. There's been a history of believing that if you experience harassment, it is your fault and that 'you ask for it'. Too many women feel guilt for having been violated on the streets, they never speak about it for reasons such as ' why draw further attention to yourself and the body' that too in public. Street sexual harassment has been internalized. It would be insightful to observe how women and men walk, who walks fast, slow, occupies the middle of the pavement, maintains eye contact, carries things and more things, is on the phone. http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/06/step-by-step-guide-to-unapologetic.html We create events that ask women to be Action Heroes by simply occupying the streets in an idle state. This intervention challenges both the participant ( Action Hero) and the public itself. What is it like for women to be on the street to do nothing, to not have the phone, to not be constantly looking at the time as though waiting for someone, to not look anxious and nervous. What happens to the street when it witnesses such an event. We have had rows of men waiting, waiting for something to happen, or men walk up to a girl who is just standing there to ask her ' why are you standing here'? Just standing idle on the street becomes provocative. These events are designed with a 'what if' scenario in mind. What if there were a 100 idle yet 'unavailable' women on the street? The relationship with the city and public also becomes less fear based. My grandmother tells me that when she was in 12 , she would nervously walk through the lanes with her friend to go to school. She said she was nervous because she was scared the boys might tease her and therefore her 'reputation might be tarnished'. A few years ago I heard about a 10 year old girl from a Delhi slum who stopped going to school because she was harassed and 'teased' everyday on her way to school. A year ago I met someone who had stepped out alone for the first time in 20 years. This was in Manchester. She was of south asian origin and had been living in Manchester for 20 years. It was always assumed that she would go out with her family , never alone. Her story is here: http://blog.blanknoise.org/2008/04/where-are-you-going.html Some more thoughts on this here: http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/10/on-being-asked-if-bangalore-is-safe-or.html#links Jasmeen http://blog.blanknoise.org On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 9:13 AM, Meera Rizvi wrote: > Dear Subhrodip, > > There is no problem in showing your liking for someone. Most women, and I > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration even if they do not > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel disempowering to a > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. These situations > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and someone rides their > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve teasing even though > they > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on a lonely bus stop at > a > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it makes most women > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened when one was with a > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it did, it would be > amusing. > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an attempt to brow beat a > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her the freedom of choice. > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > Regards, > > Meera > > > On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > > From: subhrodip sengupta > > To: Amit Basole > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > Again what is the problem with showing a liking towards soebody's > feature. > > Does liking translate into disrespect or necessary intrusion into > another's > > space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be beautiful to my lover only? > > The word only causes the problem. I am against disaalowing somebody of > the > > beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to objectify this as well. Self > > imposing oneself as a moral guardian only increases the problem. Let me > be > > more precise one of my best friends left me only because she felt I was > too > > dumb. > > Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he had a recipe which the > > women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of charm that does not at > > least attract the wrong attraction? > > Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in Delhi, I have resolutely > > stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear womenfolk. I do not care > > that much for staring at boobs, but that I could not controll my emotions > > after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the intent of fashion is > often > > different from activism. Because i wear something does not mean I mean > it, > > so any kind of awareness movement or protest in the Us has not been > strong, > > lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating gender awareness, let > me > > share my experience with U all. Every time the matter of the conversation > > would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to how others ought to > behave, > > and that would involve Rama Sita, and a hollocaust. Onl at times we > really > > talked about how women and men see each other, how could we set space for > > others---- men and women to come along. After all a public slur at one's > > sister is not the best greeting everybody likes in the morning! > > One should remember eve-teasing is only one form of harrasment, so gender > > abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex life or breasts or even > > asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching private parts in a bus, > > definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy and purpose, other than > that > > of getting laid, which is just face of gender behaviour what is the > purpose? > > And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not fear anything or anyone, > > ................... Bear the consequences of your action as well... What > is > > the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt someone? What is the > problem > > in getting slapped? > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > From: Amit Basole > > To: Rakesh Iyer > > Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta < > > hemanginig at gmail.com>; Jasmeen Patheja > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > > > > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and speaking as a man, > > "talking > > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived reality for women not > > only > > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts worn by women in the US > > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow pointing towards the head is > > printed across the chest. This is a form of protest against the practice. > > It > > is a type of objectification so common as to pass completely unnoticed by > > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > > > Amit > > > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > > wrote: > > > > > Dear Chandni > > > > > > I think the larger problem is that the people who feel uncomfortable > > don't > > > even open their mouth about it. And sometimes when they do, the society > > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence suggestions like these. > > > > > > What is required is not only a debate among intellectual classes, but > > even > > > within the entire society. Here we have a society where if a rape were > > > taking place on the streets, half of us would be engaged in watching it > > and > > > even recording clips, some of whom would be even going to find out if > > they > > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the others would ignore it and > > walk > > > away. How many of us (including me) would actually like to be someone > who > > > is > > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak out against the accused? And > > how > > > many would actually go out and try to stop it, at least make an > attempt? > > > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, the girl will be blamed, not > > the > > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex on the street to portray > > herself > > > as a porn actress. > > > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are indeed coming across, and > > would > > > like more such things. But we need to ask the questions which I did, in > > > addition to of course, those which can talk about how such situations > can > > > be > > > worked upon. In India, even the police and society generally says the > > same > > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > > > Rakesh > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Amit Basole > > Department of Economics > > Thompson Hall > > University of Massachusetts > > Amherst, MA 01003 > > Phone: 413-665-2463 > > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > ________________________________ > > Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > > > > > Now, send attachments up to 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. > > http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > -- > Meera > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> -- http:blog.blanknoise.org http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com mob: 0091 98868 40612 From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 8 14:59:11 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 01:29:11 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Kashmiriyat, Syncretic Culture & so called "Aazadi" Movement aftermath Message-ID: <644756.4023.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> As circulated :   """"""   One Day trip to Rainawari Temples..... ....Videos of temples situated in Rainawari Area. Shiv Mandir, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=gV9GsfPkTdg Shiv Temple, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=HCuWsV- B6og Shiv Temple, Near Bridge, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=XPoZSrIk9ro Shiv Temple, Near Mishan Sahib, Naidyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=sXopboCOO0k Shiv Temple, Near VB College, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=NgnmuzXWshk Shri Vaital Bhairav, Mal Mohalla, Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=sdTK7Mltwss Shri Vaital Bhairav, Motiyar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=LxdcW6Uwttw Shri Gopantar Ashram, Bagh-i-Jogilankar, Rainawari, Srinagar - http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=7gFFhlyhmxE   """""""""       From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Mon Nov 9 00:08:39 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:38:39 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: [YSC] Little Indians In-Reply-To: References: <4AEAF0BD.1050403@khaufpur.com> <5c57aee50911061856l60b76a73h58b227970ba731ca@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: 08-11-2009 The sight of a young beggar is usually a moment of personal shame & uneasiness for many but there is helplessness. A tiny figure with a heavy satchel hanging from the tiny shoulders following in step with the ‘little master’ just disembarked from the school bus enjoying a choco-bar is a very common scene in the streets in any given afternoon. The irony in children wearing colourful labelled T-shirts over their own soiled ones joyfully (…???...) selling at traffic junctions, different periodicals that often carry editorials on child labour, children’ s rights, right to education etc. etc. does exist too. Framed ‘No child labour’ declaration hanging at the entrance gate not withstanding tiny hands continue to be holed up inside the factories. Have we as a society come to actually accept what should be most unacceptable that is being indifferent towards the less fortunate who seldom experience their childhood? One wonders if these little ones figure at all in the national census & any scheme of affairs..???.... Regards all LA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 08:33:49 +0530 > From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net; aashu.gupta20 at gmail.com; abhivirtual at gmail.com; iitm.abhishek at gmail.com > Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: [YSC] Little Indians > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Nityanand Jayaraman > Date: Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 8:26 AM > Subject: [YSC] Little Indians > To: youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com, acjenvironment2009 < > acjenvironment2009 at googlegroups.com> > > > * Little Indians. > -------------- > * > Millions of little Indians, Hindus Muslims and others > for them no law, no land, no fathers mothers brothers. > > They slave in little tea shops, they beg along the road, > they sleep upon their little feet, they have no bed, no board. > > Government makes new budgets of which they are no part. > Governments feed on government grants, they eat their little heart. > > The rich perform ablutions to please the gods above; > the gods return their favours and increase their treasure trove. > > Little Indians find employment in hell holes we call factories; > their lungs fill up with poison gas, government collects the taxes. > > Some little Indians go to public school in bus or car or jeep; > a million others look for food in wayside garbage heap. > > Their schools are in Government file, their meals are part of Plan, > but when nation needs an atom bomb, they eat whatever they can. > > Little Indians, they are taught to sing 'mera bharat mahan'; > Little Indians wipe their hunted eyes - they wonder what is on. > > -- Badri Raina. > > .........................................................................-- > .Arun Khote > On behalf of > Dalits Media Watch Team > (An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”) > .................................................................. > Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the > support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and > intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits > issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the > Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit > issues is primary objective of the PMARC. > > Visit web site > Click here to unsubscribe > The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups > cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. > > ____________________________________________________________ > Believe it or not, you received this message because you've subscribed to > the > icjb-planning at lists.studentsforbhopal.org mailing list. And also because > you're totally cool. > > But, hey - we can't all be cool ALL the time. So if you'd like to be removed > from the list, you can > do so yourself. Simply send ANY message to > icjb-planning-unsubscribe at lists.studentsforbhopal.org. > > If you're curious about list information and functions (though I can't > imagine who would be) you > can read all about them (oh, joy!) at > http://lists.studentsforbhopal.org/lists/info/icjb-planning. > > Justice for Bhopal! > www.studentsforbhopal.org > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "Youth for > Social Change" mailing list. > To post to this group, send email to youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > youthforsocialchange-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/youthforsocialchange > -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Mon Nov 9 00:26:03 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2009 18:56:03 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1256?q?Fwd=3A_=5BYSC=5D_Little_Indians=FE?= In-Reply-To: References: <4AEAF0BD.1050403@khaufpur.com> <5c57aee50911061856l60b76a73h58b227970ba731ca@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: 08-11-2009 The sight of a young beggar is usually a moment of personal shame & uneasiness for many but there is helplessness. A tiny figure with a heavy satchel hanging from the tiny shoulders following in step with the ‘little master’ just disembarked from the school bus enjoying a choco-bar is a very common scene in the streets in any given afternoon. The irony in children wearing colourful labelled T-shirts over their own soiled ones joyfully (…???...) selling at traffic junctions, different periodicals that often carry editorials on child labour, children’ s rights, right to education etc. etc. does exist too. Framed ‘No child labour’ declaration hanging at the entrance gate not withstanding tiny hands continue to be holed up inside the factories. Have we as a society come to actually accept what should be most unacceptable that is being indifferent towards the less fortunate who seldom experience their childhood? One wonders if these little ones figure at all in the national census & any scheme of affairs..???.... Regards all LA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2009 08:33:49 +0530 > From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net; aashu.gupta20 at gmail.com; abhivirtual at gmail.com; iitm.abhishek at gmail.com > Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: [YSC] Little Indians > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Nityanand Jayaraman > Date: Sat, Nov 7, 2009 at 8:26 AM > Subject: [YSC] Little Indians > To: youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com, acjenvironment2009 < > acjenvironment2009 at googlegroups.com> > > > * Little Indians. > -------------- > * > Millions of little Indians, Hindus Muslims and others > for them no law, no land, no fathers mothers brothers. > > They slave in little tea shops, they beg along the road, > they sleep upon their little feet, they have no bed, no board. > > Government makes new budgets of which they are no part. > Governments feed on government grants, they eat their little heart. > > The rich perform ablutions to please the gods above; > the gods return their favours and increase their treasure trove. > > Little Indians find employment in hell holes we call factories; > their lungs fill up with poison gas, government collects the taxes. > > Some little Indians go to public school in bus or car or jeep; > a million others look for food in wayside garbage heap. > > Their schools are in Government file, their meals are part of Plan, > but when nation needs an atom bomb, they eat whatever they can. > > Little Indians, they are taught to sing 'mera bharat mahan'; > Little Indians wipe their hunted eyes - they wonder what is on. > > -- Badri Raina. > > .........................................................................-- > .Arun Khote > On behalf of > Dalits Media Watch Team > (An initiative of “Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre-PMARC”) > .................................................................. > Peoples Media Advocacy & Resource Centre- PMARC has been initiated with the > support from group of senior journalists, social activists, academics and > intellectuals from Dalit and civil society to advocate and facilitate Dalits > issues in the mainstream media. To create proper & adequate space with the > Dalit perspective in the mainstream media national/ International on Dalit > issues is primary objective of the PMARC. > > Visit web site > Click here to unsubscribe > The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups > cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message. > > ____________________________________________________________ > Believe it or not, you received this message because you've subscribed to > the > icjb-planning at lists.studentsforbhopal.org mailing list. And also because > you're totally cool. > > But, hey - we can't all be cool ALL the time. So if you'd like to be removed > from the list, you can > do so yourself. Simply send ANY message to > icjb-planning-unsubscribe at lists.studentsforbhopal.org. > > If you're curious about list information and functions (though I can't > imagine who would be) you > can read all about them (oh, joy!) at > http://lists.studentsforbhopal.org/lists/info/icjb-planning. > > Justice for Bhopal! > www.studentsforbhopal.org > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "Youth for > Social Change" mailing list. > To post to this group, send email to youthforsocialchange at googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > youthforsocialchange-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/youthforsocialchange > -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more. _________________________________________________________________ Windows 7: Simplify what you do everyday. Find the right PC for you. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Mon Nov 9 14:49:05 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (SoundLab) Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:19:05 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?=5BAnnouncements=5D_Call=3A_soundart?= =?iso-8859-1?q?_for_SoundLAB_VII_-_extended_deadline?= Message-ID: <20091109101905.39A6FEB7.F159D998@192.168.0.3> Call for entries extended deadline: 31 December 2009 2010 - 10th anniversary of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne SoundLAB - sonic art project environments is happy to launch the call for its next edition to be part of this anniversary celebrations, entitled: SoundLAB VII - soundCELEBRATION sound compositions made for the 10th anniversary! For its 7th edition, planned to be launched in March 2010, SoundLAB would like to celebrate the power of sound as a tool for artistic creations and communications on occasion of the 10th anniversary of the global network it is embedded in and invites soundartists, musicians and composers to create for the 10th anniversary a special sound composition. Please find detailed information, the regulations and entry form on http://www.nmartproject.net/netex/?p=1423 ------------------------------------------------ SoundLAB - sonic art project environments http://soundlab.newmediafest.org is a corporate part of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne, the experimental platform for art and new media from Cologne/Germany http://www.nmartproject.net in(at)nmartproject.net ----------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From raviv at sarai.net Mon Nov 9 11:56:21 2009 From: raviv at sarai.net (Ravi Vasudevan) Date: Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:56:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Ambedkar Sanskrit Fellowship Message-ID: <4AF7B60D.9020001@sarai.net> Applications are sought for the Ambedkar Sanskrit Fellowship at Columbia University in the City of New York. This is a five-year award covering tuition and stipend. One fellowship will be awarded for the academic year 2010-11 (deadline for application to the Department of Middle East, South Asia, and African Studies is January 4, 2010), and, it is anticipated, two more in each of the following two years. Applicants are expected to have completed work at the Master's level prior to admission. Preliminary inquiries, including a brief statement of purpose explaining what the applicant intends to study and why that course of study, may be directed to Sheldon Pollock, sp2356 at columbia.edu _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Mon Nov 9 19:47:15 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 19:47:15 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Need post-production help for film on vulnerable girls from high-risk communities Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Chandni Parekh ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: uma g Date: 2009/11/9 Subject: Hello from Aangan Trust Dear Chandni, How have you been. Hope you remember me. This is Uma from Aangan trust. You had posted our event on docuwallahs and thanks to you, we have recieved fabulous response. If you recollect the event was a film on vulnerbale girls from high-risk communities of Mumbai and this was to be done as a series of shadow interviews where the identities of the girls would not be revealed. As of now we have got sufficient support in terms of filming and scripting but we urgently need people who can help us with the post-production bit. Its quite expensive and as an NGO we have financial constraints. We are looking for someone preferably from Mumbai( that wil cut down travelling expenses for us), who is familiar with editing and FCP(hope i have got the jargon right) and who would be willing to charge us lower amounts compared to market rates and it goes without saying that we would be more than happy if we get a volunteer for the same. Would it be possible to help me with this..and thanks once again for all the help. Do let me know in case further clarifications are required. Regards Uma Gopalakrishnan Communications Associate Aangan Trust Mumbai __._,_.___ From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Mon Nov 9 19:58:19 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 19:58:19 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Talk on Insurgency, Nov 12, Bombay In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: >From Pervin Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry Citizens for Peace Gateway House and Tata Institute of Social Sciences invite you to a discussion on INSURGENCY AND COUNTER-INSURGENCY: CHALLENGES OF BUILDING A SHARED PROSPERITY Thursday, November 12th National Gallery of Modern Art(NGMA), Sir Cowasji Jehangir Hall, Fort, Mumbai 6.15 pm Tea 6:30 to 8:00pm Discussion Chair: Dr. Parasuraman, Director, Tata Institute of Social Sciences Panel will include: Dr. Ajit Ranade, Chief Economist, Aditya Birla Group Himanshu Kumar,Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, Bastar, Chhattisgarh M.D. Nalapat, Professor of Geopolitics and UNESCO chair, Manipal University Dr. Nandini Sundar,Professor of Sociology, Delhi University Author: Subalterns and Sovereigns: An Anthropological History of Bastar The escalation of hostilities between Naxal/Maoist insurgents and government para-military forces has put millions of lives in deep peril. While the conflict seems to be in the hinterland it has grave implications for both rural and urban India, its democracy, society, security, economy and foreign policy. The complexity of the issue means that no one entity – neither government, human rights groups, armed forces or business – can create a solution alone. A multi-stakeholder discussion, study and solution must be found. This meeting is the first such attempt to bring together different stakeholders and understand the ground realities of the issue. The panel will discuss a wide range of concerns: What are the root causes of the problem? Are the Maoists Robin Hoods or brutal insurgents? Are the adivasis victims, sympathizers or perpetuators? How much support do the Maoists really have? What role have the non-Maoist grassroots groups been playing and what are their solutions within the framework of the Indian constitution? How has business come to be embroiled in this? What role can it play as stakeholder? What is the environmental impact of this insurgency? What is the foreign policy implication of the spread of the ‘red corridor?’ Finally, can citizens develop a constructive and creative response to this crisis? Can business evolve ideas for resolution of the conflict that ensure peace and justice for the affected and economic growth for all? RSVP gulan at citizensforpeace.in From santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com Mon Nov 9 20:37:46 2009 From: santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com (santhosh hk) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 20:37:46 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] UGC NET Free ionline Coaching Message-ID: Multimedia Centre,Sree Neelakanta Government Sanskrit College Pattambi Phone 0466 2212223 email: sngscollege at gmail.com, career at sngscollege.info,mmc at sngscollege.info Website: www.sngscollege.info Our E-journal: www.vijnanacintamani.org 6 November 2009 Dear Sir/ Madam, We are glad to intimate you that the Career Guidance Cell and the Multimedia Centre of the college together offer long term training for National Eligibility Test (NET) aspirants. Unlike in the previous years when everything was carried out in physical space and real time, the college is all set to explore and exploit the cyber space now, offering unlimited reach and universal access.The course is absolutely free. In order to be a part of the programme, candidates have to register themselves at the link provided in the college website http://sngscollege.info . Immediately after the registration, each candidate will be send a private user name and password using which he/she can log on to the blog created for this purpose. The blog dishes out materials, notes, model questions, answers, interactions and discussions. To top it all, there will be online examinations and evaluation. Please note that handouts are distributed not in lump sum but in personalized bursts so as to stimulate actual classroom feel and conditions as closely as possible. We request you to enroll as many students as possible from your institute at the earliest and heartly welcome every single teacher to be a part of the project as such ambitious heights cannot be scaled without the unstinted support and cooperation of the wider academic franchise. The contribution will of a personal nature and will be duly acknowledged in such a way that candidates can contact teachers if necessary. Please feel free to contact Mr. H.K.. Santhosh (9037852621) or Dr.P.K.Sreekumar (9037936905/ 9947113641) for more details and guidelines. You can also register your names in this link http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/74993D18886B33AB/ From akmalik45 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 9 22:39:33 2009 From: akmalik45 at yahoo.com (A.K. Malik) Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 09:09:33 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <726001.19184.qm@web112119.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Dear Jasmeen Ji, I happened to see the blog site where girls are wearing tee shirts with caption " Step by Step Guide to Unapologetic Walking tees are ready".I am a little puzzled who is going to read the entire message-is it meant for men? Again problem. or women? What is going to be achieved ? Don't want to comment on the rest because it is substantially true and I see the harassment day-in day-out especially in the northern India. The blog on Bangalore seemed true until a few years back but is not true these days.Most women have males in their families.Why not try making them sane.It may perhaps solve the problem. Regards, (A.K.MALIK) --- On Sun, 11/8/09, Jasmeen Patheja wrote: > From: Jasmeen Patheja > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results > To: "Meera Rizvi" > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." , "Hemangini Gupta" > Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 2:18 PM > @ Meera and your response to > Subhrodip > > I agree that there is no problem in showing your liking > towards someone , > but the question is HOW? > how are you expressing it? does it sometimes take the form > of stalking? > > 10 years ago I was stalked for 15 kms. I was on the bus and > he was on the > bike and he stopped at every bus stop and then it was my > turn to get off the > bus. > I had to confront him and ask him why he was stalking me. > He said he only > wanted to ask me out for coffee and then he laughed. It was > frightening. > Yes he simply expressed interest  in an unwanted > aggressive persuasive > manner. Could we put him in the category of men who hear > 'yes for no'- (*ladki > ki na mein haan hai*). Or how do we respond to Annie's > story > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/08/tale-of-lovelustwhateveritwas.html#links > > What form does this expression take? How much of it is a > series of > misinterpretations? How much of it is intends to > intimidate? > > Blank Noise lists 'looking' in the 'eve teasing' opinioin > poll and in the > past it has been debated, questioned, rejected, accepted > for its place > there. This is not to say 'don't look' but to question HOW > one is looking or > how and or where one is looking. > > @ Rakesh > Yes women do have the right to protest, to respond, to > react > but it is extremely challenging to walk around believing > you( female ) can, > because there's been such a history of fearing men, and of > public spaces > that belong mostly to men. There's been a history of > believing that if you > experience harassment, it is your fault and that 'you ask > for it'. Too many > women feel guilt for having been violated on the streets, > they never speak > about it for reasons such as ' why draw further attention > to yourself and > the body' that too in public. Street sexual harassment has > been internalized. > It would be insightful to observe how women and men walk, > who walks fast, > slow, occupies the middle of the pavement, maintains eye > contact, carries > things and more things, is on the phone. > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/06/step-by-step-guide-to-unapologetic.html > > We create events that ask women to be Action Heroes by > simply occupying the > streets in an idle state. This intervention challenges both > the participant > ( Action Hero) and the public itself. What is it like for > women to be on the > street to do nothing, to not have the phone, to not be > constantly looking at > the time as though waiting for someone, to not look anxious > and nervous. > What happens to the street when it witnesses such an event. > We have had rows > of men waiting, waiting for something to happen, or men > walk up to a girl > who is just standing there to ask her ' why are you > standing here'? Just > standing idle on the street becomes provocative. These > events are designed > with a 'what if' scenario in mind. What if there were a 100 > idle yet > 'unavailable' women on the street? > The relationship with the city and public also becomes less > fear based. > > My grandmother tells me that when she was in 12  , she > would nervously walk > through the lanes with her friend to go to school. She said > she was nervous > because she was scared the boys might tease her and > therefore her > 'reputation might be tarnished'. A few years ago I heard > about a 10 year old > girl from a Delhi slum who stopped going to school because > she was harassed > and 'teased' everyday on her way to school. A  year > ago I met someone who > had stepped out alone for the first time in 20 years. This > was in > Manchester. She was of south asian origin and had been > living in Manchester > for 20 years. It was always assumed that she would go out > with her family , > never alone. Her story is here: > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2008/04/where-are-you-going.html > > Some more thoughts on this here: > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/10/on-being-asked-if-bangalore-is-safe-or.html#links > > > Jasmeen > > http://blog.blanknoise.org > > > On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 9:13 AM, Meera Rizvi > wrote: > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > > > There is no problem in showing your liking for > someone. Most women, and I > > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration > even if they do not > > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > disempowering to a > > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. > These situations > > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > someone rides their > > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve > teasing even though > > they > > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on > a lonely bus stop at > > a > > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > makes most women > > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened > when one was with a > > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it > did, it would be > > amusing. > > > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an > attempt to brow beat a > > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her > the freedom of choice. > > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > > > Regards, > > > > Meera > > > > > > On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > > > From: subhrodip sengupta > > > To: Amit Basole > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > > > > Again what is the problem with showing a liking > towards soebody's > > feature. > > > Does liking translate into disrespect or > necessary intrusion into > > another's > > > space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be > beautiful to  my lover only? > > > The word only causes the problem. I am > against  disaalowing somebody of > > the > > > beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to  > objectify this as well. Self > > > imposing oneself as a moral guardian only > increases the problem. Let me > > be > > > more precise one of my best friends left me only > because she felt I was > > too > > > dumb. > > > Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he > had a recipe which the > > > women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of > charm that does not at > > > least attract the wrong attraction? > > > Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in > Delhi, I have resolutely > > > stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear > womenfolk. I do not care > > > that much for staring at boobs, but that I could > not controll my emotions > > > after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the > intent of fashion is > > often > > > different from activism. Because i wear something > does not mean I mean > > it, > > > so any kind of awareness movement or protest in > the Us has not been > > strong, > > > lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating > gender awareness, let > > me > > > share my experience with U all. Every time the > matter of the conversation > > > would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to > how others ought to > > behave, > > > and that would involve Rama Sita, and a > hollocaust.  Onl at times we > > really > > > talked about how women and men see each other, > how could we set space for > > > others---- men and women to come along. After all > a public slur at one's > > > sister is not the best greeting everybody likes > in the morning! > > > One should remember eve-teasing is only one form > of harrasment, so gender > > > abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex > life or breasts or even > > > asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching > private parts in a bus, > > > definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy > and purpose, other than > > that > > > of getting laid, which is just face of gender > behaviour what is the > > purpose? > > > And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not > fear anything or anyone, > > > ................... Bear the consequences of your > action as well... What > > is > > > the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt > someone? What is the > > problem > > > in getting slapped? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > From: Amit Basole > > > To: Rakesh Iyer > > > Cc: Sarai List ; > Hemangini Gupta < > > > hemanginig at gmail.com>; > Jasmeen Patheja > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and > speaking as a man, > > > "talking > > > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived > reality for women not > > > only > > > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts > worn by women in the US > > > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow > pointing towards the head is > > > printed across the chest. This is a form of > protest against the practice. > > > It > > > is a type of objectification so common as to pass > completely unnoticed by > > > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > > > > > Amit > > > > > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > Dear Chandni > > > > > > > > I think the larger problem is that the > people who feel uncomfortable > > > don't > > > > even open their mouth about it. And > sometimes when they do, the society > > > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence > suggestions like these. > > > > > > > > What is required is not only a debate among > intellectual classes, but > > > even > > > > within the entire society. Here we have a > society where if a rape were > > > > taking place on the streets, half of us > would be engaged in watching it > > > and > > > > even recording clips, some of whom would be > even going to find out if > > > they > > > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the > others would ignore it and > > > walk > > > > away. How many of us (including me) would > actually like to be someone > > who > > > > is > > > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak > out against the accused? And > > > how > > > > many would actually go out and try to stop > it, at least make an > > attempt? > > > > > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, > the girl will be blamed, not > > > the > > > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex > on the street to portray > > > herself > > > > as a porn actress. > > > > > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are > indeed coming across, and > > > would > > > > like more such things. But we need to ask > the questions which I did, in > > > > addition to of course, those which can talk > about how such situations > > can > > > > be > > > > worked upon. In India, even the police and > society generally says the > > > same > > > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > media and the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Amit Basole > > > Department of Economics > > > Thompson Hall > > > University of Massachusetts > > > Amherst, MA 01003 > > > Phone: 413-665-2463 > > > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > > > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > ________________________________ > > > Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > > > > > > > >      Now, send attachments up to > 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. > > > http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Meera > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > > -- > http:blog.blanknoise.org > > http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com > > mob: 0091 98868 40612 > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From mitoo at sarai.net Tue Nov 10 10:30:24 2009 From: mitoo at sarai.net (Mitoo Das) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:30:24 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?=5BAnnouncements=5D_UNICEF_Documenta?= =?iso-8859-1?q?ry_Film_Festival_at_Alliance_Fran=E7aise_de_Delhi-_Novembe?= =?iso-8859-1?q?r_10_=26_11?= Message-ID: <4AF8F368.8070905@sarai.net> *INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN'S RIGHTS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL M.L. Bhartia Auditorium, Alliance Francaise de Delhi, 72 Lodi Estate, New Delhi -03 Presented by UNICEF & Alliance Francaise de Delhi * *November 10 6:00 p.m. Opening of the Festival Wine & Cheese* *November 10 , 6:45 p.m. The Day My God Died India, Nepal, 2004, 62 min Director: Andrew Levine (US)* The clandestine nature of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation makes it difficult to establish reliable numbers for child and adolescent victims. In addition to the trauma of sexual exploitation, survivors often miss out on school and are exposed to physical injury, sexually transmitted infections, HIV and unwanted pregnancies. The Day My God Died presents the stories of young girls whose lives have been shattered by the child sex trade. In the film, they describe the day they were abducted from their village and sold into sexual servitude. They are victimized by many. Recruiters capture them, smugglers transport them, brothel owners enslave them, corrupt police betray them and customers rape and infect them. Organizations working to help free these girls are sometimes successful and some victims have formed their own underground railway out of slavery. Maili, trafficked at 19 along with her infant daughter, risks her life to help other girls. Jyoti, sold at age12, leads a raid on a brothel resulting in the rescue of seven girls and the arrest of two brothel owners. *Subtitles: English * *November 10 , 7.50 p.m. Walking the Path of Unity Senegal, 2009 Duration -- 30 mins Directors: Marc Dacosse & Eric Dagostino (Brussels)* In Senegal, the movement to end female genital cutting continues to gain momentum. More than 100 villages have publicly abandoned this practice and also repudiated early marriages. In the heart of Senegal's Casamance region, the people of Diégoune and neighbouring villages, publicly declared the abandonment of the practice of female genital cutting. Facilitated by Tostan and the Belgian organization Respect, and shown in partnership with Cinéma Numérique Ambulant, the film highlights the key players in the movement towards the abandonment of FGC. Whether in the rice field, the central village space, or the mosque, the men and women in the film explain with joy and pride their reasons for deciding to abandon practices harmful to the well-being of their children. The dedication and activism of these men and women eventually led to the collective abandonment of FGC and child/forced marriage by the village's entire social network. *Language: Diola Subtitles: English * *November 11 , 6.30 p.m. 21 and Up South Africa: Mandela's Children South Africa, 2007, 69 min Director: Angus Gibson (South Africa)* In South Africa, a quarter of the work force is unemployed, especially among young people under the age of 35, women and African people, where the rate of unemployment has been falling since 2003. The Up Series are documentaries that revisit a group of children from different countries every seven years. In 2007, in post-apartheid South Africa, filmmaker Angus Gibson re-visits 11 young people of various races and backgrounds as they turn 21. The result is an insightful look at the lives of these young people who, faced with varying economic and social realities, must deal with issues such as unemployment, crime, race relations, education and the AIDS epidemic, which has killed three of the original 14 children. *Language: English* *November 11 , 7.45 p.m. Sari's Mother Iraq, 2007, 21 min Director: James Longley (US)* Director James Longley creates an intimate, revealing portrait of life inside war-torn Iraq. In the restive Mahmudiyah area of central Iraq, the Zegum family makes their living by selling milk and butter, farming land rented from their neighbors. Sari, their 10 year-old son, is dying of AIDS. Faten, the boy's mother, does not lose her resolve as she visits doctors and ministers trying to get help from Iraqi's broken healthcare system. *Language: Arabic Subtitles: English* *November 11, 8.10 p.m. The Final Inch India, 2008, 39 min Director: Irene Taylor Brodsky (US)* Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nigeria are the last four countries where polio remains prevalent. India's high birth rate and dense population presents the greatest challenge in the global drive to end the disease. Nearly 50 years after a vaccine for polio was developed in the United States, the polio virus is largely forgotten in many countries. But polio remains a threat to the world's poorest. In India, The Final Inch follows volunteers as they try to persuade reluctant families that their children's health transcends politics and religion. The film personalizes the global campaign to eradicate polio by capturing the dedication of volunteers as they search for the impoverished and vulnerable children who need the vaccine before it is too late. *Language: English * -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Tue Nov 10 15:12:38 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:12:38 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?CSDS_Seminar_on_=93Multi-Party_dia?= =?windows-1252?q?logue_on_Political_Future_of_Jammu_=26_Kashmir=94?= Message-ID: <6353c690911100142q400f6e34n37c63b6f26ee1ba8@mail.gmail.com> CSDS Seminar on “Multi-Party dialogue on Political Future of Jammu & Kashmir” *Link - http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/2009/11/csds-seminar-on-multi-party-dialogue-on.html * I have a Maths test on Wednesday but I just can’t study. My mind refuses to concentrate. Two years ago, when Rashneek bhaiya made me write a speech for World Refugee Day, he said that Kashmiri Pandits were viewed as ‘collateral damage’ of the Kashmir issue by ‘intellectuals’. I understood what he meant but never really faced this harsh reality head on. Yesterday, as I listened to leader after leader talk, I understood how insignificant we actually were to the ‘main issue’. I came to Teen Murti in time only for the post-lunch session. I can only give you a brief summary of the first session (garnered from various sources). Abdul Ghani Bhat talked the usual about dialogue between India, Pakistan and Kashmir for peace and reconciliation. Muzzafar Baig accepted that Kashmiri leaders had time and again sold their conscience to India and Pakistan to remain in power. On the subject of Kashmiri Pandits, he said that all Kashmiri leaders wanted the safe return of KPs to Kashmir. He also said that his mother still cried, on remembering their KP friends and neighbors. Shafi Uri of NC talked about the NC’s willingness to negotiate with PDP and other parties on the autonomy document presented by NC in July 2000. Balbir Punj and Tarun Vijay demanded the removal of Article 370.* *The post-lunch session started with Madhu Kishwar of CSDS calling everybody for a group photo with Yasin Malik; Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir was the only person who refused to be part of the photo. Kishwar then announced that Ram Jethmalani had to attend a press conference at his residence and so would absent himself for some time. Jethmalani started the parting message by holding Yasin Malik’s hand (YM had come straight from the Jammu TADA court, where his presence was needed in the Rubbaiya Sayeed kidnapping case, and was seated beside him) and welcoming his ‘dear friend and honored guest’. Importantly, he mentioned that the problem in Kashmir started due to the coincidence of two events happening together. First, the Russians left Afghanistan and the terrorists in Kabul became ‘unemployed’, and second, India started rigging elections in Kashmir. He also said that it was the highest virtue of an Indian to love Pakistan, and that the entire discussion should be in the spirit of ‘love and affection’. After he left, Ellora Puri from Jammu talked of how it had always been ignored that the state was actually made of three geographically and culturally distinct regions of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. She proposed a federal system within the state, with the three regions having three separate ‘councils’. After her, Sanjay Tickoo of Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (representing KPs who were still living in Kashmir for these 20 years) spoke. He first wanted to discount the notion that KPs fled because the then Governor Jagmohan told them to do so, quoting that in 1998, there were 19,000 KPs in Kashmir, whereas in 2008, there were only about 3000. This proved that conditions in Kashmir were far from being conducive to their return. He also demanded a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to be set up by the Indian Parliament where the different stake-holders could voice their grievances and demands. Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir showed a report published in a national daily in which the government had placed “Relief and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits” under the topic of Animal Husbandry. That aside, he talked a little about the concept of Panun Kashmir. He also talked about how 150 temples that had been desecrated and demolished in 1990 and blamed the media, civil society and HR groups for turning a blind eye to the plight of KPs. I personally thought that both speakers could not manage to convey either the past or the future in the right perspective, but it is pertinent to note that Madhu Kishwar interrupted both their speeches about 2-3 times, chiding them like recalcitrant children whenever they even mentioned 1990. We were expected to forget everything and start afresh. There really wasn’t any time for telling reality to the world. We were asked to make “tall demands” of the future. I know that rationally we should do that, and to an extent, we did do that too. What infuriated me was that only we were admonished for speaking about the old truth. Mehbooba Mufti went on and on about Kashmir being a “chota Iran” and how Accession to India had isolated Kashmir from the rest of Central Asia and West Asia. (The main point of her talk was more like propagating PDP’s agenda – she kept asking if India was ready to trust Kashmiris and uniting the 'two Kashmirs' - PoK and IK). There was a Mr. Tahir Khurshid Raina (Mr. Three-In-One – Rajouri and Poonch representative cum PDP member cum Yasin Malik supporter) who talked about how war had ravaged Rajouri and Poonch and how all these years they had few basic facilities. Yasin Malik went on to give the entire history (read: justification) behind his proud taking up of arms (reiterating that it was not an unemployment issue at all). But no, Madhu Kishwar did not have the guts or the rather the inclination to stop them and ask them to talk about the future. Only we were supposed to listen and digest. I know we haven’t been the only sufferers – far from it. But I believe that if you remove KPs from the context of the Kashmir problem – it becomes a clear case for YM’s ‘freedom struggle’. I don’t pretend to know much about the workings of Kashmiri politics but to an outsider, ignorant of the ethnic cleansing in 1989-90, there would be little wrong in YM’s story (which he skillfully recited yesterday) of 3rd degree torture from Indian authorities, leading to ‘armed struggle’, leading to jail and finally “Gandhian enlightenment”. He was ‘forced’ to pick up arms and then by the strength of his character and the overwhelming sentiment of ‘azadi’ in Kashmir, he chose to become non-violent (despite seeing ‘600’ of his ‘friends and followers’ dead after coming out from jail). The intellectuals present yesterday knew both of our displacement and the ‘armed struggle’ but chose, peacefully, to keep them separate. They didn’t, of course, have any explanation for the former. It just happened. And now Kashmiri Pandits needed to go back to Kashmir to reverse history and show that everything was normal. As simple as that. As moral, just and enlightened citizens they needed to support the Kashmiris’ right to independence, even if it meant listening to YM saying that he had defeated India militarily, mentally, culturally and spiritually. When Madhu Kishwar showed some sense by asking YM how practical his notion of azadi was, Ram Jethmalani cut her short and said that he found no problem whatsoever with YM’s proposal. When YM was announced as a speaker, I had thought that we would pounce on him during or after his speech with questions. Then Sushilji got up to protest his presence, as a murderer and a rapist. Once it started, we didn’t back off. The astounding part was how everybody in the room thought that we were irrational liars. They welcomed and pleaded him to continue while admonishing us for not listening to him. He talked about how the problem between KPs and KMs was essentially a “power struggle”, not a communal one. The educated Pandits got insecure of the increasing power with the poor, uneducated Muslims and hence the trouble. He said that he had visited refugee camps in Jammu, and commiserated with the old ladies there; he had the guts to quote a “sher” from Lal Ded. Better still, he said that in KPs, India had found a “weeping boy” for Geneva. Madhu Kishwar and Ram Jethmalani said nothing at all on this and instead scolded the PK representative who raised an objection. I asked YM to shut up on this topic at least; he didn’t have the right to talk about Kashmiri Pandits from his bloody mouth. When Sushilji asked for permission to ask a question, Jethmalani said that he could ask only if he promised to speak in the spirit of “love and affection”. Love and affection to your killers! Of the two questions Sushilji asked, only one was permitted – that of how YM could say that all KMs had left arms when Let and Hizbul Mujahideen continued to operate. The second and more important one, about just how YM could compare himself with Gandhi when he and JKLF had killed so many unarmed, innocent women and children was promptly and completely ignored. We were largely seen as deranged communalists shouting at a hero for no good reason. When Mehbooba Mufti and Yasin Malik were speaking I really felt like we were banging our heads against stone walls who would never listen. It was suffocating. They had thrown us out of Kashmir and consequently we were left with no say in the ‘current problem’ of Kashmir. We were an ugly face of history that nobody wanted to recall, because we just didn’t fit in. Today, as I scoured newspapers, both online and paper, to see if anybody had reported us, I was shown the raw truth. The news people had got their quotes from YM, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Baig, Mehbooba Mufti and Jethmalani. We had given pamphlets to people explaining why we were protesting against YM but still we were only mentioned in one-liners as disrupters of YM’s speech. Nothing else. Regardless of the cries of rehabilitation and relief – succor for the past in the future – there was after all nothing in the present. Nobody wanted to talk about collateral damage. In the end, Muzaffar Baig, the man who ignited the Amarnath agitation by talking of “demographic” changes in Kashmir due to settlements for Amarnath pilgrims, showed why he was a successful politician. He talked about things I thought only we could understand – he talked about Kashmiri Pandits as a unique unit of civilization; he talked about how individual successes aside, the loss of homeland would always be irreparable. The program ended there. Baig had said the right things; Madhu Kishwar volunteered to hold a signature campaign for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and also arrange for a private conference between Baig and KPs. Words… I only hope that we ‘heckled’ YM enough for the time being. A piece by a 16 year old displaced Kashmiri girl Radhika Kaul. regards Aditya Raj Kaul From cashmeeri at yahoo.com Tue Nov 10 15:13:09 2009 From: cashmeeri at yahoo.com (cashmeeri) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:43:09 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Declaration of (In)Decadance - by Rahel Aima Message-ID: <264908.9708.qm@web112614.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> http://kinaaramagazine.org/index.php/2009/07/rahel-aima/     Declaration of (In)Decadance   Rahel Aima (21) is from Dubai (as much as one really can be from the UAE). She currently lives in NYC where she is  finishing up a BA at Columbia University in anarchist anthropology (”@nthropology”). She can be reached at rahelaima at gmail.com.   La Décadence n’a rien à faire avec Amour. La Décadence est un excellent marteau que nous employons pour détruire l’Empire. [Decadence is not Love. Decadence is a hammer we use to crush Empire.] - GRANAD(A), http://granadacollective.wordpress.com/   America is a series of several displeasures, beamed into our bedrooms in little increments of ketchup packets and adolescent angst. America is the kindly uncle that might violate you with his left hand even as he hands you tamarind sweets from his right. We’re feeling really unclean America, and we’d quite like a shower please, but your oceans are salty and even your rainwater runs cold. Never forget that we love you, America, even when we suspect you have mortgaged our dreams of personhood away.   We are brown and glossy and we think we have rather nice legs but our chappals are getting scruffy and that’s not going to land us an I-banking job, is it? Perhaps we should do good and queue up for the NGO-industrial complex to help you help us help them. Soon our governments will build another shopping mall, and we’ll programme ourselves new dreams of getting off your global welfare state. Your cities are expensive, though, and we cant afford your economic noblesse oblige anymore. We’re running out of band-aids already, yet we’re bleeding all over our new shoes. These heels are high! Slow down a bit there, we can’t quite keep up with your shadow. Yet with our orgiastic consumption and your immaculate white goods, we think we could be friends, what do you say?   Just as you eat because it is lunchtime, we’re here in your metropolises right on cue because it is your time, America. We’re getting really good at whipping up dal and chana masala in your slow cookers, and promise to floss our teeth and apply Fair and Lovely thrice a day. You can take your picket fences and 2.12 children, and we’ll stick to moving up from dusky to wheaten in the matrimonials section, thanks. Oh, and pick us for your PhD programs! We swear we’re better than the next Global SouthEasterner. Don’t break up with us, America. Your hypermarket floss feels like piano wire and we’re all cut up.   How did we find ourselves back here? At home we’re rich yet strangely, uneasily, unsatiated. What’s this gnawing viscous pain? And why are there scars on our lower abdomens? You told us that being organless was really revolutionary, but we don’t feel a smidgen of insurrectionary sentiment, we’ll have you know. We’re trading in your bikes and bandannas for Tata scooters and surgical masks to keep out the smog and SARS. Even our birds don’t like us anymore; they’ve all flown Gulf-ways. We hear there’s good petrodollar money to be made there, do you think we should follow?   Broadband penetration is reaching 83% though, will you promise to still respond to our G-chats sometimes? Our scissors are blunt; we can’t quite trace your careful bias cuts anymore. And our hands are sticky with blood, and it won’t peel off satisfyingly like your imported primary school PVA glue used to. Your protectionary bonds are all set to mature soon, please don’t take your money and disappear. Weren’t we supposed to learn our histories before we denied them? How can we still be your simulacra effigies?   Our grandparents are all dying alone and our newly atomised families don’t want them anymore. We got nuclear now too; give us your bombers and we’ll share the contents of our tiffins with you. Will you shake hands with us at the club door? Maybe one day we’ll meet again at the corpse of Kashmir. It will be like our subcontinental Casablanca, we’ll get a little misty-eyed. We could have had a beautiful friendship but you wouldn’t listen, would you. We flung your high heels off that bridge that Britain built, and we’re wearing Bata sandals and eating Godrej biscuits now. They come in so many types and flavours, and we keep them cosily stacked in old Danish butter cookies tins, the kind that we used to pass around on birthdays.   We brought our chowkidars chai today, and they told us that the real decadence is in good soil, and breathable air, and potable water. We heard that your horticulturalists had managed to coax crackberries into growing on trees; we’re grateful for the mangoes we have. They’ll be getting ripe soon, and we too feel like we’re finally coming of age. We went out in the monsoon rains today, and they were warm. From iram at sarai.net Tue Nov 10 15:20:32 2009 From: iram at sarai.net (Iram Ghufran) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:50:32 +0600 Subject: [Reader-list] talk by madhava prasad@jnu Message-ID: <4AF93768.4000901@sarai.net> School of Arts and Aesthetics Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi Presents The Languages We See Considerations on Language Use in Indian Cinema A Talk by Madhava Prasad Professor, Department of Film and Cultural Studies Central University of English and Foreign Languages, Hyderabad At the SAA Auditorium, JNU Friday, 13th November at 5 pm From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 10 19:19:39 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:49:39 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?=22Multi_Party_Dialogue_on_the_Political_?= =?utf-8?q?Future_of_J=26K=E2=80=9D=2E_Organised_by_CSDS?= In-Reply-To: <200911061739.48674.ravikant@sarai.net> Message-ID: <116446.31583.qm@web57205.mail.re3.yahoo.com> The Islamic Separatists of Indian Kashmir should first decide amongst themselves what their 'plans/proposals/formulas' are, before agreeing to or seeking dialogue with (what are generally referred to as) "mainstream" political parties.   Otherwise it is meaningless for anyone to talk to their assemblage of bits and pieces.   These kind of meets - "Multi Party Dialogue on the Political Future of J&K”* organized by the *Centre for the Studies of Developing Societies* in collaboration with the *Nehru Memorial Museum and Library* - are 'public tamashas'.   - Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, senior leader and former chairman of the Hurriyat-M (for Moderate) says "I propose that Hurriyat, JKLF, NC and PDP should work together to evolve consensus and move together for a better and prosperous tomorrow for the people of Jammu and Kashmir"     Noble thoughts but he convieniently leaves out the Congree and the BJP.   - Gani Bhat did say 'Hurriyat' but Mehbooba Mufti (PDP) knows that Bhat can speak only for Hurriyat-M (for Moderate) and not for Hurriyat-H (for Hardline). So she advises that "senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani should be a part of any such confluence".   - But, what does Geelani of  Hurriyat-H (for Hardline) have to say. Well, he "advised the pro-freedom leaders not to participate in the dialogue."   - Did Gani Bhat mention JKLF too? Yes he did. Wonder which faction of JKLF he had in mind.   - Yasin Malik (of one of the many JKLF factions) has a simple formula "Kashmiris, Malik said, have been demanding independence and New-Delhi and Islamabad should address their demands."     Knock! Knock! you dumb-head, the National Conference (NC); Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Congress; BJP have not been 'demanding independence'. Do they not represent Kashmiris?   - Yasin Malik "accused the mainstream political parties in Kashmir of becoming the stake holders of New-Delhi". Hello! Hello! is that news for you Yasin? There are various stakes in J&K and various stakeholders.   - We should seat Yasin Malik and Mehbooba Mufti together after Yasin stops whining. "Pointing towards the Peoples Democratic Party leaders, Malik said, 'Formulas being floated by them are diluting the Kashmir issue ........They are the ones who brought troops to J&K and today they are demanding their withdrawal'."       Looks like only the Yasin Malik 'formula' is acceptable to Yasin Malik. What is that Yasin Malik 'formula'? No one knows.   - Did I say Gani Bhat can speak only for Hurriyat-M (for Moderate)? Apparently that too he cannot. Well, at least he forgot to attach the conditionalities to his "Noble Thoughts".      " .... top leaders of the conglomerate Sunday described it as Bhat' personal opinion,"     Chairman of Gani Bhat's Hurriyat-M (for Moderate),  "..Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said that NC and PDP should 'relinquish power politics' before any such move."       Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the pompous Islamist-wolf in Secularist-sheep clothing has an additional idiotic suggestion  "We have made it clear time and again that if the mainstream parties are serious and sincere to resolve the Kashmir issue, they should relinquish power politics and join Hurriyat. Then we can sit together and find a solution".      NC; PDP; Congress; BJP should join the Hurriyat. Another Noble Thought. Farooq forgot to mention which faction of the Hurriyat they should join.   - Shabir Shah (Kuldip Nayar's Mandela), also of Hurriyat-M (for Moderate), in fact wants nothing to do with NC or PDP. Shah had this to say "Both PDP and NC consider Kashmir a part of India. They will secure India's interests if they are involved in talks".   This bunch of clowns, these Islamist Separatists, bear responsibility (at the very least indirect responsibility) for the deaths of quite a few tens of thousands of lives. It is foolish to offer them a dialogue or a platform for their hypocrisies unless they first decide amongst themselves what they want to say.   Kshmendra --- On Fri, 11/6/09, Ravikant wrote: From: Ravikant Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Detailed program of J& K Dialogues To: reader-list at sarai.net Date: Friday, November 6, 2009, 5:39 PM Programme "*Multi Party Dialogue on the Political Future of J&K”* being organized by the *Centre for the Studies of Developing Societies* in collaboration with the *Nehru Memorial Museum and Library*. *Date:*    November 7, 2009. *Venue*:  Seminar Room, Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, Teen Murti House. *Time*:      9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. *Morning Session:  9.30 am to 1.30 pm* *Chair: Ram Jethmalani* Welcome and introductions *Order of Speakers*** *Mohammad Shafi Uri, *M.P. Rajya Sabha followed by discussion on National Conference’s proposal for *“Autonomy* ”. *Muzaffar Hussain Baig,* Former Deputy Chief Minister & *Mehbooba Mufti, *President PDP, followed by discussion on People's Democratic Party's proposal for *'Self Rule'*. *Abdul Gani Butt *and* Bilal Gani Lone *of All Party Hurriyat Conference:The Relevance, *Modalities and Implications of* *Plebiscite for Self Determination." * *Responses: Nancy Kaul *Daughters of Vitista, *and Ramesh Manwati:* Panun Kashmir, *Sanjay Tikkoo*: Kasmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (Sringar), *Susheela Bhan *Institute of Peace Research and Action*);  Ellora Puri* (University of Jammu), *Afternoon Session*: *2.30 to 5-30 p.m. * * * *Yasin Malik* of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front :*"The Form and Content of Azadi.”* *Yuddhvir Sethi*, State Secretary BJPJammu District, *M.P. Magrey* and *Sheikh Mohammad* (Rajouri and Doda District). *Sonam Wangchuk Narboo* (Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council), *Siddiq Wahid*(Islamic University of Science and Technology). *Saifuddin Soz*, Hon'ble Minister for Water Resources, Congress Party * * *3.30--5.30 p.m*.*.....Open discussion*. We look forward to your participation. Sincerely, *Madhu Kishwar* ,   *Shail Mayaram* Tea Breaks 11.30-11.45 a.m and 4.00 to 4.15 p.m. Lunch break.1.30--2.30 p.m * * -- Shail Mayaram Professor Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi Check this out- http://www.routledgegeography.com/books/The-Other-Global-City-isbn97804159919 40 ------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From indersalim at gmail.com Tue Nov 10 19:52:19 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:52:19 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?CSDS_Seminar_on_=93Multi-Party_dia?= =?windows-1252?q?logue_on_Political_Future_of_Jammu_=26_Kashmir=94?= In-Reply-To: <6353c690911100202y5244197dnd0c9c6f9c33bfd18@mail.gmail.com> References: <6353c690911100142q400f6e34n37c63b6f26ee1ba8@mail.gmail.com> <6353c690911100202y5244197dnd0c9c6f9c33bfd18@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70911100622y293f8b05qdcfb71d5fa61cce6@mail.gmail.com> SOME COMMENTS ON THE SEMINAR 1. Not a single soul in the entire gatheraing dared to touch the question ; WHY ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED IN KASHMIR which resulted in the Armed struggle ( Ironically, the same two parites are ruling right now ) . It goes to the credit of Yasin Malik to identify himself with Gandhi in Kashmir where there is not a single soul ready to touch anthing that is Indian. Yasin, the Star of the evening, spoke bluntly about the failture of Indian Civil Society which ' cheated' him and his party for surrendering guns in exchange of kashmir solution, which never happned. He declared that he would abandon politics the day Kashmir issue is resolved. 2. Muzaffar Beig ( PDP ) represented Kashmiri Pandits quite fairly, and they should learn how to project their case. On their own, without a competent Vakil/advocate, they look only noisy young boys, and not surprising that even newspapers ignored to report their protest. 3. No Indian in the gathering had guts to answer to Mr. Beig's question that why Bitte Karatte , who confessed having killed 43 KPs' is roaming free? 4. Panun Kashmir representative Mr. Manwati forgot to talk about what Panun Kashmir demands are. 5. Mehbooba Mufi sucessfully pointed out how Kashmir was cut from the rest of the world by linking it with it India through Jawahar Tunnel. Whatever the reasons, Kashmiris deserve to use the roads that were functional for thouands of years. Mehbooba pulled the leg of NC ( Sheikh Mohd Abudullah) by pointed that they too have commited mistakes in Jammu during 1953 elections which resulted into Hindu Maha Sabha hardline. 6. Sanjay Tickoo ( representative of KP non-Migrant lot ) pointed out that how loads of buses, and metadors were able to cross the LOC during 89-1990. authentic sources signal strongly that India always knew what is happening in Kashmir but allowed . He, expressed pain on the suffereings of Kashmiri pandits and Kashmiri muslims in a single breath, which other RIK representatives ignored. 7. Representatives from Leh and Kargil spoke about the absence of monolithic notions of existing socities in these regions. But demaned more power sharing. 8.Ms Elora from Jammu complained about the monoply of Kashmir over the rest of two regions, and demanded some internal authonomy within the J&K state for three regions:Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir. 9. Tahir Khurshid Raina of Rajouri Poonch spoke about his region, where Partition really was experienced and where people still are divided across the line, and which remains the most underdeveloped area in J&K. So, in comparision to Jammu region it is a lesser Dalit. 10. Madhu Kishwar managed it gracefully On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 3:32 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul wrote: > CSDS Seminar on “Multi-Party dialogue on Political Future of Jammu & > Kashmir” > > Link - > http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/2009/11/csds-seminar-on-multi-party-dialogue-on.html > > I have a Maths test on Wednesday but I just can’t study. My mind refuses to > concentrate. Two years ago, when Rashneek bhaiya made me write a speech for > World Refugee Day, he said that Kashmiri Pandits were viewed as ‘collateral > damage’ of the Kashmir issue by ‘intellectuals’. I understood what he meant > but never really faced this harsh reality head on. Yesterday, as I listened > to leader after leader talk, I understood how  insignificant we actually > were to the ‘main issue’. > > I came to Teen Murti in time only for the post-lunch session. I can only > give you a brief summary of the first session (garnered from various > sources). Abdul Ghani Bhat talked the usual about dialogue between India, > Pakistan and Kashmir for peace and reconciliation. Muzzafar Baig accepted > that Kashmiri leaders had time and again sold their conscience to India and > Pakistan to remain in power. On the subject of Kashmiri Pandits, he said > that all Kashmiri leaders wanted the safe return of KPs to Kashmir. He also > said that his mother still cried, on remembering their KP friends and > neighbors. Shafi Uri of NC talked about the NC’s willingness to negotiate > with PDP and other parties on the autonomy document presented by NC in July > 2000. Balbir Punj and Tarun Vijay demanded the removal of Article 370. > > The post-lunch session started with Madhu Kishwar of CSDS calling everybody > for a group photo with Yasin Malik; Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir was the > only person who refused to be part of the photo. Kishwar then announced that > Ram Jethmalani had to attend a press conference at his residence and so > would absent himself for some time. Jethmalani started the parting message > by holding Yasin Malik’s hand (YM had come straight from the Jammu TADA > court, where his presence was needed in the Rubbaiya Sayeed kidnapping case, > and was seated beside him) and welcoming his ‘dear friend and honored > guest’. Importantly, he mentioned that the problem in Kashmir started due to > the coincidence of two events happening together. First, the Russians left > Afghanistan and the terrorists in Kabul became ‘unemployed’, and second, > India started rigging elections in Kashmir. He also said that it was the > highest virtue of an Indian to love Pakistan, and that the entire discussion > should be in the spirit of ‘love and affection’. After he left, Ellora Puri > from Jammu talked of how it had always been ignored that the state was > actually made of three geographically and culturally distinct regions of > Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. She proposed a federal system within the state, > with the three regions having three separate ‘councils’. > > After her, Sanjay Tickoo of Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (representing > KPs who were still living in Kashmir for these 20 years) spoke. He first > wanted to discount the notion that KPs fled because the then Governor > Jagmohan told them to do so, quoting that in 1998, there were 19,000 KPs in > Kashmir, whereas in 2008, there were only about 3000. This proved that > conditions in Kashmir were far from being conducive to their return. He also > demanded a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to be set up by the Indian > Parliament where the different stake-holders could voice their grievances > and demands. Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir showed a report published in a > national daily in which the government had placed “Relief and Rehabilitation > of Kashmiri Pandits” under the topic of Animal Husbandry. That aside, he > talked a little about the concept of Panun Kashmir. He also talked about how > 150 temples that had been desecrated and demolished in 1990 and blamed the > media, civil society and HR groups for turning a blind eye to the plight of > KPs. I personally thought that both speakers could not manage to convey > either the past or the future in the right perspective, but it is pertinent > to note that Madhu Kishwar interrupted both their speeches about 2-3 times, > chiding them like recalcitrant children whenever they even mentioned 1990. > We were expected to forget everything and start afresh. There really wasn’t > any time for telling reality to the world. We were asked to make “tall > demands” of the future. I know that rationally we should do that, and to an > extent, we did do that too. What infuriated me was that only we were > admonished for speaking about the old truth. Mehbooba Mufti went on and on > about Kashmir being a “chota Iran” and how Accession to India had isolated > Kashmir from the rest of Central Asia and West Asia. (The main point of her > talk was more like propagating PDP’s agenda – she kept asking if India was > ready to trust Kashmiris and uniting the 'two Kashmirs' - PoK and IK). There > was a Mr. Tahir Khurshid Raina (Mr. Three-In-One – Rajouri and Poonch > representative cum PDP member cum Yasin Malik supporter) who talked about > how war had ravaged Rajouri and Poonch and how all these years they had few > basic facilities. Yasin Malik went on to give the entire history (read: > justification) behind his proud taking up of arms (reiterating that it was > not an unemployment issue at all). But no, Madhu Kishwar did not have the > guts or the rather the inclination to stop them and ask them to talk about > the future. Only we were supposed to listen and digest. > > I know we haven’t been the only sufferers – far from it. But I believe that > if you remove KPs from the context of the Kashmir problem – it becomes a > clear case for YM’s ‘freedom struggle’. I don’t pretend to know much about > the workings of Kashmiri politics but to an outsider, ignorant of the ethnic > cleansing in 1989-90, there would be little wrong in YM’s story (which he > skillfully recited yesterday) of 3rd degree torture from Indian authorities, > leading to ‘armed struggle’, leading to jail and finally “Gandhian > enlightenment”. He was ‘forced’ to pick up arms and then by the strength of > his character and the overwhelming sentiment of ‘azadi’ in Kashmir, he chose > to become non-violent (despite seeing ‘600’ of his ‘friends and followers’ > dead after coming out from jail). The intellectuals present yesterday knew > both of our displacement and the ‘armed struggle’ but chose, peacefully, to > keep them separate. They didn’t, of course, have any explanation for the > former. It just happened. And now Kashmiri Pandits needed to go back to > Kashmir to reverse history and show that everything was normal. As simple as > that. As moral, just and enlightened citizens they needed to support the > Kashmiris’ right to independence, even if it meant listening to YM saying > that he had defeated India militarily, mentally, culturally and spiritually. > When Madhu Kishwar showed some sense by asking YM how practical his notion > of azadi was, Ram Jethmalani cut her short and said that he found no problem > whatsoever with YM’s proposal. > > When YM was announced as a speaker, I had thought that we would pounce on > him during or after his speech with questions. Then Sushilji got up to > protest his presence, as a murderer and a rapist. Once it started, we didn’t > back off. The astounding part was how everybody in the room thought that we > were irrational liars. They welcomed and pleaded him to continue while > admonishing us for not listening to him. He talked about how the problem > between KPs and KMs was essentially a “power struggle”, not a communal one. > The educated Pandits got insecure of the increasing power with the poor, > uneducated Muslims and hence the trouble. He said that he had visited > refugee camps in Jammu, and commiserated with the old ladies there; he had > the guts to quote a “sher” from Lal Ded. Better still, he said that in KPs, > India had found a “weeping boy” for Geneva. Madhu Kishwar and Ram Jethmalani > said nothing at all on this and instead scolded the PK representative who > raised an objection. I asked YM to shut up on this topic at least; he didn’t > have the right to talk about Kashmiri Pandits from his bloody mouth. When > Sushilji asked for permission to ask a question, Jethmalani said that he > could ask only if he promised to speak in the spirit of “love and > affection”. Love and affection to your killers! Of the two questions > Sushilji asked, only one was permitted – that of how YM could say that all > KMs had left arms when Let and Hizbul Mujahideen continued to operate. The > second and more important one, about just how YM could compare himself with > Gandhi when he and JKLF had killed so many unarmed, innocent women and > children was promptly and completely ignored. We were largely seen as > deranged communalists shouting at a hero for no good reason. > > When Mehbooba Mufti and Yasin Malik were speaking I really felt like we were > banging our heads against stone walls who would never listen. It was > suffocating. They had thrown us out of Kashmir and consequently we were left > with no say in the ‘current problem’ of Kashmir. We were an ugly face of > history that nobody wanted to recall, because we just didn’t fit in. Today, > as I scoured newspapers, both online and paper, to see if anybody had > reported us, I was shown the raw truth. The news people had got their quotes > from YM, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Baig, Mehbooba Mufti and Jethmalani. We had given > pamphlets to people explaining why we were protesting against YM but still > we were only mentioned in one-liners as disrupters of YM’s speech. Nothing > else. Regardless of the cries of rehabilitation and relief – succor for the > past in the future – there was after all nothing in the present. Nobody > wanted to talk about collateral damage. In the end, Muzaffar Baig, the man > who ignited the Amarnath agitation by talking of “demographic” changes in > Kashmir due to settlements for Amarnath pilgrims, showed why he was a > successful politician. He talked about things I thought only we could > understand – he talked about Kashmiri Pandits as a unique unit of > civilization; he talked about how individual successes aside, the loss of > homeland would always be irreparable. > The program ended there. Baig had said the right things; Madhu Kishwar > volunteered to hold a signature campaign for the Truth and Reconciliation > Commission and also arrange for a private conference between Baig and KPs. > > Words… > > I only hope that we ‘heckled’ YM enough for the time being. > > A piece by a 16 year old displaced Kashmiri girl Radhika Kaul. > > regards > Aditya Raj Kaul > > -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From mihirsamson at gmail.com Wed Nov 11 10:52:13 2009 From: mihirsamson at gmail.com (Mihir Samson) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:52:13 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Festival of Kabir in Films, Music & Conversations, Pune Message-ID: <31aaa9f90911102122k3b8fb8cbm27bc87a10fe0b1f@mail.gmail.com> * * Chalo Hamara Des! Open Space, in collaboration with Either Or and Symbiosis Law School, invites you to a *Festival of Kabir in Films, Music & Conversations.* * * The Kabir Festival is a wonderful opportunity to explore and celebrate the ideas of inclusion, pluralism, and cultural diversity through a quartet of four critically-acclaimed films by Shabnam Virmani on the life and work of the15th century saint-poet, the myriad ways in which Kabir lives on in the subcontinent, and the relevance of Kabir in a 21st century India that is being increasingly divided along religion, caste and class lines. The screenings will culminate in a unique music concert that brings together some of the finest folk-classical-sufi voices of Kabir -- Mukhtiar Ali, Mahesha Ram and Pt Vijay Sardeshmukh. Entry for all events is free and on a first-come first-served basis. The Festival is being brought to Pune by the Kabir Project at Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology. *About the Director* *Shabnam Virmani* is a documentary filmmaker and community media person, and has directed several award-winning documentaries in close partnership with grassroots women’s groups in the country. For the last 5 years she has been immersed in the Kabir Project, producing these 4 films along with 2 folk music videos, 10 audio CDs of artists singing Kabir along with books of the poetry in translation. *About the films* *Chalo Hamara Des: **Journeys with Kabir and Friends:* A journey in search of Kabir's *des *or country unfolds through the narratives of two people from two very different countries – dalit folk singer Prahlad Tipaniya and North American scholar Linda Hess. *Had-Anhad: **Journeys with Ram and Kabir:* Delves into the heart of divisive Hindu-Muslim politics of religion and nationalism, probing the forces of history that have created disputatiously diverse Rams, while also spawning many Kabirs. *Koi Sunta Hai: **Journeys with Kumar and Kabir:* Interweaves the oral folk traditions of Kabir in central India with the intensely personal narrative of the late classical singer Kumar Gandharva. The film journeys between folk and classical music, between rural and urban expressions of Kabir. *Kabira Khada Bazar Mein**: **Journeys with Sacred and Secular Kabir:*Investigates the ironies and tensions between secular and sacred Kabir, interweaving the sacralisation of Kabir by the Kabir Panth with the secular appropriation of the same poet by the activist group Eklavya. *About the musicians* *Mukhtiar Ali* is a Mirasi folk singer from Bikaner and blends the Rajasthani folk idiom with refined classicism, singing the poetry of Kabir, Mira and other Sufi poets like Bulleh Shah. Through the Kabir Project, Mukhtiar was spotted by world music circuits and made his Europe debut in July 2007. *Vijay Sardeshmukh* is a classical singer who has inherited the stark yet refined *nirgun* classical style of singing Kabir from his late guru, Pt. Kumar Gandharva. *Mahesha Ram *from the Meghval community of Rajasthan, represents a hypnotic folk style typical of the traditional carriers of Kabir’s poetry through the oral traditions of all-night jagrans and satsangs. *Programme Schedule* * Day 1: Saturday – 14th November 2009* *Event: Film screening: Chalo Hamara Des; Journeys with Kabir and Friends (Dur:98 min) Time: 5.20pm to 7.00pm Event: *Film Screening; Koi Sunta Hai: Journeys with Kumar and Kabir (Dur: 94 min) *Time:* 7.10pm to 8.45pm* Informal Q&A session with filmmaker Shabnam Virmani between 8.50 to 9.30pm Venue: *Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Law College Road, Pune - 411004 *Day 2 Sunday – 15th November 2009* *Event: Film Screening: Kabira Khada Bazar Mein: Journeys with Sacred and Secular Kabir (Dur: 94 min) Time: 10.15am to 11.50am Event:* Film Screening: Had Anhad: Journeys with Ram and Kabir (Dur: 102 min)* Time:* 12.00pm to 1.45pm.* Informal discussions with filmmaker Shabnam Virmani, Time: 1.50pm to 2.15pm Venue: *National Film Archives of India (NFAI) Law College Road, Pune- 411004 *Day 3 Monday - 16th November 2009* *Marathon music concert presenting Kabir’s verses in diverse styles Event: *Introduction, followed by Music Concert by Mahesha Ramji* Time: *5.00pm to 6.30pm* Event: *Music Concert: Pt.Vijay Sardeshmukh* Time:* 6.45pm to 7.45pm * Event: *Music concert: Mukhtiar Ali * Time: *8.00pm to 9.00pm * Venue: *Symbiosis Vishwa Bhawan, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune 411004 *Kabir Project: www.kabirproject.org Open Space: www.openspaceindia.org Either Or: www.eitheror.in Symbiosis Law School: www.symlaw.ac.in* *For further information on the festival contact: *Rakesh - 0-9921090931 Aditi - 0-9823464048 Open Space - 020-25457371 301, 2nd floor, Kanchanjunga Bldg,Kanchan Lane, Near Krishna Dining Hall (Off Law College Road) Pune - 411 004 From mitoo at sarai.net Wed Nov 11 13:06:58 2009 From: mitoo at sarai.net (Mitoo Das) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 13:06:58 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] 2nd Media Workshop by SAFAR (in association with Sarai-CSDS) Message-ID: <4AFA699A.1040609@sarai.net> *2ND MEDIA WORKSHOP by SAFAR (in association with Sarai-CSDS) Date:1-3 December2009 Venue: Seminar Room, CSDS Time: 9:30 to 17:30* Media is everybody's cup of tea today and at the same time it has become a hot cake which attracts a sizable number of youth as a glamorous carrier. This is why every second day a new media institute/course is coming into being. These media institutes are promising a sure and lucrative journalistic career and charging heavy fees from students. On the other hand universities and colleges have started teaching media in the name of employment oriented course. The private media institutes aim to prepare an army of media walkers and managers while the government institutions are teaching media to make ideals. Those who study in colleges/universities may be acquainted with theory but lack practical skills, especially the use of new technology; whereas students coming from private institutions are trained to become pawns of market and the corporate world only. The question of social commitment remains far behind in both the situations. While the fact is that when media loses social concern and neglects the issue of social development and transformation, it becomes meaningless. And this kind of 'media' can be management, can be a lucrative profession or anything else but not media. Therefore, This is high time to look at the media scenario, and include all those socially relevant issues which will help the students and media-personals in developing a social approach, so that they could think and work towards a better and just society. It is not always necessary to start with a big capital and heavy paraphernalia in terms of machinery. In fact, many a times it forbids genuine initiatives and creates havoc in the process of learning. Now, several examples have been set all over the world, where a meager technological assistance has boosted the proliferation process of alternative media. The pertinent thing is how open your eyes are, how you see your everyday life and what is your understanding of the space and time, you are a part of. The media programme of SAFAR is constantly searching and exploring opportunities to establish an alternative media, a media which will go beyond the academic barriers and market preconditions. It also intends to do experimental media activities of different kinds, especially low cost media with not only prevalent forms and technologies but also with emerging ones. In order to honor its commitment towards real media, SAFAR in association with SARAI-CSDS is organizing a three day Media Workshop for students, media enthusiasts, development professionals and grass root activists, which is the second in the series. This will include bi-lingual sessions on print, radio, television and web journalism by experts like Khadeeja Arif (correspondent , BBC Radio), Piya Kochhar (radio journalist & media entrepreneur), Prof. Abhay Kumar Dubey (CSDS), Dilip Mandal (economicstimes.com), Rahul Pandita (senior correspondent, Open), Rakesh Kumar Singh (digi-activist & media researcher), Shailesh Bharatwasi (hindyugm.com) and Vineet Kumar (television critic). *Since SAFAR is a self funded initiative, we are charging a meager amount of Rs. 600/- from students, Rs. 900 from development professionals and Rs. 1200 from corporate professionals, which will include registration & course fee, lunch, tea and stationeries. * Outstation participants should manage their stay on their own. Participants will be given certificates. *Last date of registration is November 20th 2009*. No requests will be entertained after that. For registration please click below: https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=dEtSODBpczFmS1B6cXFUNC1VWGIzN0E6MA -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From nilankur at cultureunplugged.com Wed Nov 11 14:24:05 2009 From: nilankur at cultureunplugged.com (nilankur) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:24:05 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Call for Writers Message-ID: Dear Group To you, is it a bliss to meditatively write and move spirit/ consciousness of the audience? Do you love to focus on subjects such as films/media, consciousness, culture/society, identity? Do you write in the style where profundity meets simplicity of expression? Our wish is to adopt a voice that is: Mature, Noble, Pragmatic, Frank, Fearless, Fresh; truth-seeking, expansive & inclusive, sharp- focused, thoughtful & sensitive – holding compassionate viewpoint of humanity and disparate cultures. We have launched an online venue with weekly blog catering to our primary audience – film-makers, film-lovers, conscious creatives/citizens. Through this effort, we are not just building a platform/structure that simply publishes content, but one that raises consciousness of film-makers and unites people through their spirit. We are looking for writers who wish to blog and engage with global audience in a dialogue through this online platform. These opportunities are for freelance contributions which can commence now. Compensation is based on experties/experience and efforts required. If you have experience as film/media critic, social scientist, cultural anthropologist, or editorial journalist, we wish to know you. To learn about us, please visit - http://www.cultureunplugged.com/filmedia/truthSeekers.php Please email us your profile/interest/samples at : nilankur at cultureunplugged.com In respect of time, we will contact you if we find your profile/ expectation a fit. We thank you for your attention. nilankur 'frame voice. find vigor' http://www.cultureunplugged.com/filmedia/truthSeekers.php From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 11 16:23:54 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:53:54 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Message-ID: <402823.77724.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> 'Going Muslim'   Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09   America after Fort Hood.   "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues.   As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan.   The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure."   We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.)   This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence?   This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation.   This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind.   Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this.   America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution.   Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp.   I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues.   So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason.   Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander.   Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness.   Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it.   (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.)   http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html   From c.anupam at gmail.com Wed Nov 11 16:48:20 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:48:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <402823.77724.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <402823.77724.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911110318y7e5ef352rf31651e364082771@mail.gmail.com> Dear Kshmendra, Varadarajan offers a conclusion that almost take me back to the times Bush era: "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it." While Hasan's act is heinous, but I do not understand what makes Varadarajan say: "The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues." Is it really this 'dont-jump-to-conclusions" mentality responsible for this? Or is it constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/06/nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-shooting1)? -anupam On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > 'Going Muslim' > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > America after Fort Hood. > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues. > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure." > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence? > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this. > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues. > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 11 18:21:01 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:51:01 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <341380d00911110318y7e5ef352rf31651e364082771@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <845360.18934.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Anupam   It is not possible to answer your question. Your offered either/or options have no connection. One addresses "what was it that caused Hasan to snap (victamisation)". The other addresses "whether it was possible to recognise that Hasan had snapped and thus prevent the massacre (PC discarded)".   That Hasan snapped of that there is no doubt.   Your suggestion is that it was because of "constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army"   There has been mention of "victamisation" of Hasan, but that it was "constant" seems to be information that you are privy to.   But it could well be that Hasan 'snapped' because of the "victamisation".   MacAskill (who's Guardian article you referred to) has a different take, from you, on Hasan's snapping. The conclusion offered by him is: """""   But someone listening day after day to troops describing the tension and carnage in Iraq and Afghanistan could end up as damaged as those facing combat at first hand. """"""" That could also be a or the reason.   My opinion sides with the innovative phrase used by Vardarajan - 'Going Muslim', as being the cause for Hasan snapping. That culminated in his "Allah hu Akbar" cry as he opened fire. (presuming that is correctly reported)   Vardarajan explains it well in qualifying the "snapping": """" The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis """""""" I do not see much wrong in Vardarajan saying that "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone." He explains well why he says so (you have quoted his words). Connectedly he says: """"" So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. """"" Perfectly reasonable, I would say.   Could this  massacre have been avoided if there was no overly Political Correctness (PC) at play? Difficult to be certain.   Various sources (including Macaskill and Vardarajan) have quoted views expressed by Hasan indicating that his Muslimness was more important to him than his being an American. Hasan indicates so in a variety of situations.   If those have been correctly reported then Hasan should have been discharged from the US Army much before his scheduled deployment in Iraq and much before he himself (reportedly) sought to leave the US Army.    If this was not done because warning signs  were ignored due to Political Correctness (PC), then certainly such PC should be discarded.   Kshmendra --- On Wed, 11/11/09, anupam chakravartty wrote: From: anupam chakravartty Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. To: "sarai list" , "Kshmendra Kaul" Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2009, 4:48 PM Dear Kshmendra, Varadarajan offers a conclusion that almost take me back to the times Bush era: "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it."  While Hasan's act is heinous, but I do not understand what makes Varadarajan say: "The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues." Is it really this 'dont-jump-to-conclusions" mentality responsible for this? Or is it constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/06/nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-shooting1)? -anupam On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > 'Going Muslim' > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > America after Fort Hood. > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues. > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure." > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence? > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this. > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues. > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 11 18:40:49 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:10:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Dr. Ana Steele of the Dalit Freedom Network Message-ID: <369964.42794.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> "Leaders in Action: Dr. Ana Steele of the Dalit Freedom Network"   Joshua Tabb on 10 Nov 2009   (Dr. Ana Aspras Steele is the Executive President of Dalit Freedom Network (DFN), an organization dedicated to bringing an end to the injustices perpetrated against the Dalit people of India. In the 110th Session of Congress, she led efforts that resulted in the first legislation of the U.S. government to address the practice of untouchability in Indian society against the Dalit people. Before working for Dalit justice, Dr. Steele taught at Harvard University for 10 years, where she received several distinctions for excellence in teaching.)   Josh: Hi Ana, it’s so great to have you here to kick off our Leaders in Action series. This series is dedicated to the heroes who inspire us everyday. I guess it only makes sense to ask, who is your biggest hero?   Ana: That’s always a great question to ask, Josh, and I would reply by saying that my answer has certainly changed over the years. When I was a young girl, my hero was Audrey Hepburn, because she ended her brilliant career in service to the world’s most vulnerable children as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Most recently, my heroes have been William Wilberforce, who worked for the abolition of slavery, and Mother Teresa, for her untiring work, which she conducted in joy, for India’s poorest members of society.     Josh: During your career you spent 10 years at Harvard University and nearly 10 years in international missions. What kind of missions were u participating in and how did they lead you to your current role?   Ana: From 1999 to 2009, I worked in the Missions Department of a mega-church. In this capacity, I oversaw all of our missionaries around the world. The best part of the job was getting to know them deeply, encouraging them through their trials and triumphs, traveling to see them in the countries where they lived and worked, and being their advocate back at the home church.   In March of 2005 I was invited to a briefing on India’s Dalit people. The speaker was Dr. Joseph D’souza, the International President of Dalit Freedom Network. I was horrified by what I heard. I promptly went up to Joseph afterward, told him so, and asked him what he needed most. From that briefing on, my conscience was burdened for the Dalits, and it has never become unburdened. I started working pro-bono for DFN, then as a consultant, and in January 2009 I accepted my current position as Executive President. I guess you could say that being an advocate for our missionaries prepared me to speak out with confidence for the Dalits here in Washington, D.C.     Josh: Just to clear things up a bit Ana, can you tell us, what is a Dalit?   Ana: The Dalits are those who are born into the lowest class in India’s social hierarchy. They are also known as India’s “scheduled caste,” “untouchables,” “outcastes,” and most recently “slumdogs.” The Dalits comprise nearly one-quarter of India’s society, with population estimates of 250 million people, almost the population of the United States. They are history’s longest standing oppressed people group, and by all reports and research the largest number of people categorized as victims of modern-day slavery. Every day, Dalits, including Dalit children, walk out their door and suffer unspeakable discrimination, dehumanization, and violence.     Josh: That is such a sad story. In most parts of the world we seem to have gotten past feudal caste systems and the practice of slavery. Why do you think these practices still are active in modern day India?   Ana: Discrimination and prejudice are ways of thinking and being that change very, very slowly in any society. Even though “untouchability” was abolished in 1950 in Article 17 of India’s Constitution, the belief in the “untouchability” of Dalits has been entrenched in Indian thinking for hundreds of centuries and will only change over time. The good news is that there are signs of change. In December 2006, for example, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh likened the caste system in India to the apartheid regime in South Africa. “Even after 60 years of constitutional and legal protection and support, there is still social discrimination against Dalits in many parts of our country,” Mr Singh said. “Dalits have faced a unique discrimination in our society that is fundamentally different from the problems of minority groups in general. The only parallel to the practice of untouchability was apartheid.” Those who work to bring an end to the practice of untouchability and the horrors that untouchability creates for the Dalit people can find immense hope in the Prime Minister’s bold stand.     Josh: Its great to know that at least there is hope. The Dalit Freedom Network was created in 2002 to respond to the cries of Dalits for fair treatment and freedom. What kinds of things has DFN done?   Ana: The Dalit Freedom Network is the leading voice in America for the Dalit people of India. DFN has 4 interdependent pillars of focus, designed to create sustainable community transformation throughout rural India, where Dalits are experiencing the greatest marginalization. They are: 1) education; 2) healthcare; 3) economic development and 4) social justice advocacy.     Education is the backbone to community transformation. In our 90 Dalit Education Centers, 18,500 children are learning English, the language of mobility in India, and are taught the values of freedom, equality, and human dignity. Our students are becoming a generation of thinkers and agents of change who will carry forward the principles of liberty and justice in their nation.   DFN’s Healthcare Program is a crucial component of the community transformation model. Most Dalit people cannot afford visits to a doctor or a hospital and often suffer—and sometimes even die—from diseases that are curable or no longer exist in other parts of the world. DFN and its partners in India provide basic public healthcare in villages and administer vaccines to children in our schools. As Dalits gain access to hygiene training and healthcare for the first time, they are physically empowered to live healthier, more dignified lives.   The Economic Development Program is one of our greatest agents of community transformation. In debt to landlords, money lenders, doctors, priests, grocers, and more, most Dalits work hand-to-mouth and remain in abject poverty. Very few own land, and many are bonded slaves or are forced to sell their children into bonded slavery. Through vocational training, Self-Help Groups, and a fair-rate loan program, DFN and its Indian partners have enabled Dalit men and women to provide for their families without compromising their inherent value as human beings. Our micro-loan program reports a 98% payback rate and continues to be a phenomenal source of ongoing economic empowerment for thousands of Dalits. As loans are repaid and interest is earned, the funds are redistributed to new applicants.   The aim of DFN’s Social Justice Program is to address the deepest injustices that Dalits suffer, such as human trafficking and child and bonded labor, and to focus on strategic government advocacy to mitigate these crises. Although India has the necessary legislation in place to combat human trafficking and child labor, these atrocities continue largely unchallenged, and the ongoing toleration of these practices is recognized at the highest levels of the Indian judicial system. On November 15, 2008, in New Delhi, the Honorable Dr. Justice Arijit Pasayat of the Supreme Court of India stated that there was no bigger problem in India today than human trafficking. The United States and the international community can play an essential and constructive role in helping the Indian government to implement its anti-slavery and anti-child labor laws. The Social Justice team saw its first-ever legislative victory in 2007: House Concurrent Resolution 139 passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2007, expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should be committed to addressing the ongoing practice of “untouchability” with the Government of India. In the present Session of Congress, we are working on legislation that directly addresses the massive human trafficking of Dalits.     Josh:  This is really, truly admirable work, and it is so great to know that even the most oppressed peoples can find their heroes somewhere in the world. That being said, It must be exhausting to fight a system that’s over 3,000 years old. Have people been receptive to your ideas at all? How do the perceptions of Dalit freedom vary around the world, say from America to India?   Ana: Actually I’ve been very encouraged to see the growing groundswell of international concern for the Dalits. Besides our DFN offices in the U.S., there are DFNs being launched or already launched in Canada, Australia, Germany, Sweden, UK, Switzerland, and South Africa, and they are all advocating for the end of Dalit discrimination and Dalit human trafficking. Five years ago the world did not know about Darfur, but people did their homework, got the word out, and told anyone who would listen. DFN is working to do the same thing. I firmly believe that if America knows, America will care, and if America cares, America will take action. In time, I have confidence that we will see the Dalits emancipated.     Josh: You make a great point Ana, and I think especially after reading this, people around the world will start to understand and sympathize deeply with this cause. What is the best way for us to get involved?   Ana: First of all, thanks for asking. There are many ways for people to get involved in the global movement to free the Dalits. Corporations can partner with us in our larger projects on education, healthcare, economic development, or social justice. Individuals can sponsor a child in one of our Dalit Education Centers for $28 a month. Anyone can give a one-time donation to DFN’s Cornerstone Fund, which will be applied to the current greatest need. And people can write to their Congressmen and Senators and ask them to keep the Dalit crisis on the forefront of their foreign affairs agenda.  Lasly, feel free to join our cause on facebook, called "Dalit Freedom Network", or follow us on twitter at @DALITnetwork.     Josh:  Ana, this has been incredibly informative and enlightening, and we are thankful that you were able to join us today and let the world know about such a terrible injustice. I hope that everyone will stay informed with the plight of the Dalits and do what they can make the world a freer place.   http://www.casefoundation.org/blog/leaders-action-dr-ana-steele-dalit-freedom-network     Link for DALIT FREEDOM NETWOIRK: http://www.dalitnetwork.org/   From mahmood.farooqui at gmail.com Wed Nov 11 19:09:54 2009 From: mahmood.farooqui at gmail.com (mahmood farooqui) Date: Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:09:54 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Supporters of Dastangoi Message-ID: Two new Dastangos Rajesh Kumar and Rasika Duggal make their debut at the Prithvi Festival November 12th, Prithvi Theatre, Juhu Bombay. Followed by a performance on the 15th November At the Bandra Festival From itsnishant at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 13:21:26 2009 From: itsnishant at gmail.com (Nishant Shah) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:21:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Digital Natives with a Cause? - A Report Message-ID: Dear All, The Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore and Hivoshave assessed the state of knowledge on the potential impact of youth for social transformation and political engagement in the South. This report ‘*Digital Natives with a Cause?’* charts scholarship and practice of youth and technology and informs further research and intervention within diverse contexts and cultures. The report displays that digital natives have a potential impact as agents of change. It concludes that multidisciplinary theoretical approaches venturing beyond the cause-and-effect model and providing the necessary vocabulary and sensitivity are crucial to understanding Digital Natives. The lament that youths are apolitical is a result of insufficient attention to activities that do not conform to existing notions of political and civil society formation. Digital Natives are sensitive and thoughtful; it is time to listen to them and their ideas, and to focus on their development as responsible and active citizens rather than on their digital exploits or technologised interests. The report specifically focuses on youth as e-agents of change within emerging Information Societies to explore questions of technology mediated identities, embedded conditions of social transformation and political participation, as well as potentials for sustained livelihood and education. It identifies Knowledge Gaps and Networks and further areas of intervention in the field of Digital Natives. As a first step in working towards enabling digital natives for social transformation and political engagement, Hivos and CIS will organize a multistakeholder conference fall 2010. A Summary of the report, as well as the detailed narrative are now available for discussion, debate, suggestions and ideas. The report is available at http://cis-india.org/research/dn/dnrep and also at http://http://www.hivos.net/Hivos-Knowledge-Programme/Themes/Digital-Natives-with-a-Cause/News/New-Publication-on-Digital-Natives Apologies for Cross-posting Warm regards Nishant -- Nishant Shah Doctoral Candidate, CSCS, Bangalore. Director (Research), Centre for Internet and Society,( www.cis-india.org ) Asia Awards Fellow, 2008-09 # 00-91-9740074884 From akshaym at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 14:56:59 2009 From: akshaym at gmail.com (Akshay) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:56:59 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Blowup Delhi : A Photographic Street Intervention Message-ID: <1932e9470911120126q6ed501a4ub22924a98ea764b4@mail.gmail.com> 6 NOVEMBER, CONNAUGHT PLACE, NEW DELHI [image: BLOWUP] After it’s Success in *Bangalore * and * Paris *, we turn our eyes on *Delhi* Blow.up is an exercise bringing photography to the streets. Life is on display on the street — people walk, sit, stand, sleep, drive, drink, eat, piss, talk, mingle, fight, and love. The street is where groups collide and where people live and die and where all of society mixes with trash, smog, sewage, and the pulsating sounds of traffic. We’ve put together a bunch of our pictures and will be bringing them to you, where you’re standing, on the street — where they’re easy to see: On sidewalks and in alleys. Next to coffee shops and streetside panwallas. On postboxes and on blank walls. In between advertisements and PG accomodations. We’ll be standing there. *RSVP ON FACEBOOK * Can we contribute ? Of course you can – firstly if you think this is cool – spread the word. If you want to submit or help us print, design and plaster – write to us on * blindboys at gmail.com* Lastly you can help by coming and taking a look of course. -- Akshay Mahajan Photojournalist. +919833230562 http://www.akshayphoto.com | http://blindboys.org | http://trivialmatters.blogspot.com | http://www.flickr.com/photos/lecercle/ From sonia.jabbar at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 16:34:45 2009 From: sonia.jabbar at gmail.com (S. Jabbar) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:34:45 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms Message-ID: Govt report: land reforms Mind The Drill A scathing report on the pro-business land takeover policy ...and it¹s official too Smita Gupta The Daisy Cutters * A government report critical of the land acquisition policies in rural India * Says cycle of growing lawlessness, poverty, violence is a natural outcome of state¹s neo-liberal economic agenda * Amendments altering protective laws to attract private investment has further marginalised the poor * Report slams state patronage of Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh * The report is devastatingly frank about the collusion between government and big business, even accusing the two of funding and fuelling the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. ³This open, declared war will go down as the biggest land grab ever.... Tata Steel and Essar Steel...wanted seven villages or thereabouts...to mine the richest lode of iron ore available in India. *** Once upon a time ³the temples of modern India reduced millions of tribal people to ecological refugees²; now ³the minerals seen as the building blocks of modern India² are putting them ³at risk of losing their land through acquisition and further disruption of their societies and economies². No, that¹s no dire warning  from some rights activist but, significantly, a part of a government report, ŒState Agrarian Relations and Unfinished Task of Land Reforms¹, by a 15-member committee of the Union rural development ministry in January 2008. Headed by minister C.P. Joshi himself,  it includes the secretary, land resources, four other civil servants (two of whom are retired), three economists and six representatives from the NGO sector. Curiously, the chief author of the report is B.K. Sinha, a retired IAS officer who now heads the National Institute of Rural Development in Hyderabad. The report promises to stir up a hornet¹s nest, suggesting as it does radical changes in land management, stressing that the cycle of growing landlessness, poverty and violence is a natural outcome of the government¹s neo-liberal economic agenda. It also warns that if immediate steps are not taken, it could be a downward spiral. The report admits that even within the government there is a view ³that distributive justice programmes have been overtaken by the development paradigm², and that many states had amended protective laws to attract private investment but these have ended up further marginalising the poor. It also makes a connection between the alienation of tribals from their land in central India and the rapidity with which Maoist influence in this area is growing‹and also slams the government¹s patronage of the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. That said, the report is a ³modified² version of the original document. When the original draft was shown to the RJD¹s redoubtable Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, the current minister¹s predecessor and under whom the committee was formed (and in whose tenure most of the report was formulated), he told Outlook he had ³pointed out that it had taken an extremist line; so it was toned down². But the more than 250-page tome is apparently not toned down enough for UPA-II, with its recommendations on reducing the land ceiling, a homestead policy, tenancy registration, giving tribals the right to decide how their land would be used, and so on. Sources in government say the report is ³impractical, too utopian² and simply ³does not take into account ground realities². The report now awaits the approval of the National Council on Land Reforms headed by Dr Manmohan Singh. Council members include the deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission, central ministers from the ministries concerned ‹agriculture, social welfare, tribal welfare, environment and forests‹chief ministers and a group of experts. If the report is ³too utopian² for the government, even committee members admit that some of the report¹s key recommendations may be difficult to implement. Dr A.K. Singh, economist and director of the Giri Institute of Development Studies in Lucknow, told Outlook, ³The report suggests that tenancy registration should be strictly enforced. In UP, it has never happened as land has always been leased to tenants in an informal way. It is doubtful that it can be implemented in UP, especially as land is a state subject.² Yet other committee members point out more contradictions. Neelima Khetan, CEO of Sewa Mandir, Rajasthan¹s largest NGO, says, ³The report recommends that homestead rights be given to all poor people, by distributing surplus land. At another place, it talks of using Common Property Resources effectively. How will the two be reconciled?² But P.V. Rajagopal, who heads Ekta Parishad and was the moving spirit behind the Janadesh Yatra in ¹07 (when 30,000 tribals from 18 states arrived in the capital to press their demands), which compelled the government to set up the committee on land reforms, is more sanguine. As a member of the PM¹s Council on Land Reforms, which will put in place a policy framework and take a final view on how the recommendations will be implemented, he¹s already gearing up for battle. ³The government is torn between a World Bank-led reforms agenda and the one that people like me are espousing. Of course, there will be tensions between the two groups when the council meets. The government, I am sure, will realise that if it goes the corporate way, it will only increase migration, poverty and violence,² says Rajagopal. Indeed, while the report focuses on the entire country (including a section on the Northeast), the part relating to the tribals and Dalits has special resonance today, as government forces engage in a bloody war with the Maoists in central India. The report is devastatingly frank about the collusion between government and big business, even accusing the two of funding and fuelling the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. ³This open, declared war will go down as the biggest land grab ever.... Tata Steel and Essar Steel...wanted seven villages or thereabouts...to mine the richest lode of iron ore available in India. (After) initial resistance from the tribals...the state withdrew its plans. A new approach was necessary.... (It) came about with the Salwa Judum...headed by the Murias, some of them erstwhile (Maoist) cadres. Behind them are traders, contractors and miners.... The first financiers of the Salwa Judum were Tata and Essar...640 villages...were laid bare, burnt to the ground and emptied with the force of the gun and the blessings of the state. (Some) 3,50,000 tribals, half the total population of Dantewada district, are displaced, their womenfolk raped, their daughters killed and their youth maimed. Those who could not escape into the jungle were herded together into refugee camps run and managed by the Salwa Judum...640 villages are empty. Villages sitting on tons of iron ore are effectively de-peopled and available for the highest bidder. The latest information being circulated is that both Essar Steel and Tata Steel are willing to take over the empty landscape and manage the mines.² Clearly, the government has little time to lose, as Rajagopal points out, ³There is pressure from the Maoists and growing violence on the one hand, and there is the pressure from non-violent mass movements to take a fresh look at the land issue.² Indeed, the report may have some virtually undoable suggestions‹and certainly some contradictions (inevitable, given it has sought to be fair to the competing perspectives of equity, ecology, growth-efficiency, and community and gender). The government can ignore this report only at the cost of not just its own future but, more importantly, that of the country. From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Thu Nov 12 17:35:27 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:05:27 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <599193.29624.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> " The Biggest Grab of Tribal Lands after Columbus "   This is the title of the section in the report dealing with the situation in "southern districts of Bastar, Dantewara and Bijapur in Chattishgarh."  and the conflict between "Peoples War Group now known as the Communist Party of India (Maoist) on the one side and the armed tribal fighters of the Salva Judum created and encouraged by the government and supported with the firepower and organization of the central police forces."   The full report can be read at :   http://www.rd.ap.gov.in/IKPLand/MRD_Committee_Report_V_01_Mar_09.pdf     Kshmendra     --- On Thu, 11/12/09, S. Jabbar wrote: From: S. Jabbar Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms To: "Sarai" Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 4:34 PM Govt report: land reforms Mind The Drill A scathing report on the pro-business land takeover policy ...and it¹s official too   Smita Gupta   The Daisy Cutters * A government report critical of the land acquisition policies in rural India * Says cycle of growing lawlessness, poverty, violence is a natural outcome of state¹s neo-liberal economic agenda * Amendments altering protective laws to attract private investment has further marginalised the poor * Report slams state patronage of Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh * The report is devastatingly frank about the collusion between government and big business, even accusing the two of funding and fuelling the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. ³This open, declared war will go down as the biggest land grab ever.... Tata Steel and Essar Steel...wanted seven villages or thereabouts...to mine the richest lode of iron ore available in India. *** Once upon a time ³the temples of modern India reduced millions of tribal people to ecological refugees²; now ³the minerals seen as the building blocks of modern India² are putting them ³at risk of losing their land through acquisition and further disruption of their societies and economies². No, that¹s no dire warning  from some rights activist but, significantly, a part of a government report, State Agrarian Relations and Unfinished Task of Land Reforms¹, by a 15-member committee of the Union rural development ministry in January 2008. Headed by minister C.P. Joshi himself,  it includes the secretary, land resources, four other civil servants (two of whom are retired), three economists and six representatives from the NGO sector. Curiously, the chief author of the report is B.K. Sinha, a retired IAS officer who now heads the National Institute of Rural Development in Hyderabad. The report promises to stir up a hornet¹s nest, suggesting as it does radical changes in land management, stressing that the cycle of growing landlessness, poverty and violence is a natural outcome of the government¹s neo-liberal economic agenda. It also warns that if immediate steps are not taken, it could be a downward spiral. The report admits that even within the government there is a view ³that distributive justice programmes have been overtaken by the development paradigm², and that many states had amended protective laws to attract private investment but these have ended up further marginalising the poor. It also makes a connection between the alienation of tribals from their land in central India and the rapidity with which Maoist influence in this area is growingand also slams the government¹s patronage of the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. That said, the report is a ³modified² version of the original document. When the original draft was shown to the RJD¹s redoubtable Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, the current minister¹s predecessor and under whom the committee was formed (and in whose tenure most of the report was formulated), he told Outlook he had ³pointed out that it had taken an extremist line; so it was toned down². But the more than 250-page tome is apparently not toned down enough for UPA-II, with its recommendations on reducing the land ceiling, a homestead policy, tenancy registration, giving tribals the right to decide how their land would be used, and so on. Sources in government say the report is ³impractical, too utopian² and simply ³does not take into account ground realities². The report now awaits the approval of the National Council on Land Reforms headed by Dr Manmohan Singh. Council members include the deputy chairperson of the Planning Commission, central ministers from the ministries concerned agriculture, social welfare, tribal welfare, environment and forestschief ministers and a group of experts. If the report is ³too utopian² for the government, even committee members admit that some of the report¹s key recommendations may be difficult to implement. Dr A.K. Singh, economist and director of the Giri Institute of Development Studies in Lucknow, told Outlook, ³The report suggests that tenancy registration should be strictly enforced. In UP, it has never happened as land has always been leased to tenants in an informal way. It is doubtful that it can be implemented in UP, especially as land is a state subject.² Yet other committee members point out more contradictions. Neelima Khetan, CEO of Sewa Mandir, Rajasthan¹s largest NGO, says, ³The report recommends that homestead rights be given to all poor people, by distributing surplus land. At another place, it talks of using Common Property Resources effectively. How will the two be reconciled?² But P.V. Rajagopal, who heads Ekta Parishad and was the moving spirit behind the Janadesh Yatra in ¹07 (when 30,000 tribals from 18 states arrived in the capital to press their demands), which compelled the government to set up the committee on land reforms, is more sanguine. As a member of the PM¹s Council on Land Reforms, which will put in place a policy framework and take a final view on how the recommendations will be implemented, he¹s already gearing up for battle. ³The government is torn between a World Bank-led reforms agenda and the one that people like me are espousing. Of course, there will be tensions between the two groups when the council meets. The government, I am sure, will realise that if it goes the corporate way, it will only increase migration, poverty and violence,² says Rajagopal. Indeed, while the report focuses on the entire country (including a section on the Northeast), the part relating to the tribals and Dalits has special resonance today, as government forces engage in a bloody war with the Maoists in central India. The report is devastatingly frank about the collusion between government and big business, even accusing the two of funding and fuelling the Salwa Judum in Chhattisgarh. ³This open, declared war will go down as the biggest land grab ever.... Tata Steel and Essar Steel...wanted seven villages or thereabouts...to mine the richest lode of iron ore available in India. (After) initial resistance from the tribals...the state withdrew its plans. A new approach was necessary.... (It) came about with the Salwa Judum...headed by the Murias, some of them erstwhile (Maoist) cadres. Behind them are traders, contractors and miners.... The first financiers of the Salwa Judum were Tata and Essar...640 villages...were laid bare, burnt to the ground and emptied with the force of the gun and the blessings of the state. (Some) 3,50,000 tribals, half the total population of Dantewada district, are displaced, their womenfolk raped, their daughters killed and their youth maimed. Those who could not escape into the jungle were herded together into refugee camps run and managed by the Salwa Judum...640 villages are empty. Villages sitting on tons of iron ore are effectively de-peopled and available for the highest bidder. The latest information being circulated is that both Essar Steel and Tata Steel are willing to take over the empty landscape and manage the mines.² Clearly, the government has little time to lose, as Rajagopal points out, ³There is pressure from the Maoists and growing violence on the one hand, and there is the pressure from non-violent mass movements to take a fresh look at the land issue.² Indeed, the report may have some virtually undoable suggestionsand certainly some contradictions (inevitable, given it has sought to be fair to the competing perspectives of equity, ecology, growth-efficiency, and community and gender). The government can ignore this report only at the cost of not just its own future but, more importantly, that of the country. _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 17:42:12 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:42:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms In-Reply-To: <599193.29624.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <599193.29624.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Great to see that we are also getting discussions on what could be the most destructive movement by a state against its' own citizens in the name of security threat. I remember a statement by Arundhati Roy as I read this, though I don't remember the quote. I too however wish to ask the same question to the Indian Govt: 'If the Indian Govt is willing to talk to Pakistan in spite of 26/11, why can't we talk to Maoists? Does the courage of our Home Minister go on a pilgrimage when dealing with Pakistan?' In the name of strategic objectives to be achieved, a deadly war will be launched soon, where the Indian state deals with a faceless enemy, not knowing who is a Maoist and who is not. And we already know what our paramilitary forces will do when they are forced in such a precarious situation, as Kashmir, the North-East, and Chhattisgarh testify. Rakesh From khurramparvez at yahoo.com Thu Nov 12 17:46:12 2009 From: khurramparvez at yahoo.com (Khurram Parvez) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:16:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Invitation for Discussion on Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue Message-ID: <677268.29218.qm@web31809.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Dear Friends,   Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) cordially invites you to participate in a discussion, “Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue”.    The programme will be held at: Hotel Grand Mumtaz 11 Maulana Azad Road , Srinagar Phone: 2450281/2452548   The programme will be convened on: Sunday 15th November 2009 at 01:00 p.m.    The aim of the program is to discuss civil society concerns about the expected dialogue between what the Indian state calls “all stakeholders” in Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi . It is of paramount importance that the content of this dialogue is clearly understood among the civil society, the primary stakeholders in any such process that embarks upon determining the political status of a people.             Dialogue by its very nature is between two equal stakeholders. The stakeholders as far as the Indian pronouncements are concerned are not clearly defined at all. Indian Prime Minister has already made government of India ’s agenda about the Kashmir dialogue clear. New Delhi is entering the dialogue for “final reconciliation so that peace can be achieved for development and reconstruction” in Jammu and Kashmir . In this program we would like to facilitate a discussion on the below mentioned concerns about the objectives and possible directions of this fresh engagement with New Delhi that is most likely to begin soon.   Clear acknowledgement of people’s liberation struggle in its true historical perspective should be the basis of initiating any kind of talks/dialogue.Indian state is talking in contradictory terms. Its army commanders are labeling street protests as terrorism and vowing not to leave the civilian areas, while its home minister is talking about a “unique political solution for Jammu and Kashmir .” Besides India has not reviewed its arbitrary constitutional position on Kashmir .Who is going to talk to whom? If the stakeholders include pro-India participatory parties like the PDP and NC, who are already wedded to accession of J&K to India , then what is there to negotiate about? Should leaders who represent resistance to Indian rule in J&K agree to be equals in a dialogue with those who have carried forward Indian policies in the disputed region since its existence? If so, then the dialogue is about administrative matters, transfer/sharing of power, Indian security concerns and not about determining the political status/sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir . What is the negotiating position that a section of Kashmir resistance leaders are taking to the table? Will the dialogue be guided by the principle of right to self determination? The political struggle in Jammu & Kashmir has been against Indian rule. Are those who would enter a dialogue with New Delhi going to talk about disengagement with India in any other form than the right of self determination? The Indian Home Minister does not have the authority to discuss sovereignty. Can he be accepted as New Delhi ’s interlocutor in any dialogue for the final status of Jammu & Kashmir? The agenda and format of the dialogue for political rights must be transparent and made public.If and when any conclusions are agreed upon between the parties, how is the agreement proposed to be put to public vote in order for it to be democratically endorsed by the people – the primary stakeholders? And, how would the condition on ground be made conducive for that endorsement to materialize?Will this talks/dialogue process dilute the international character of the Kashmir issue.   It is also proposed that at the end of this discussion we would reach a consensus about civil society questions to and demands from those leaders who may go to the negotiating table with New Delhi representing us.   Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any clarification or further information.   We are looking forward to your participation.   Thank you,   Program Coordinator Khurram Parvez Mobile : 9419013553 Email: kparvez at kashmirprocess.org From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Thu Nov 12 17:49:12 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:19:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "A nation of sleepwalkers" by Nadeem F. Paracha Message-ID: <761754.32277.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> "A nation of sleepwalkers"   Posted by Nadeem F. Paracha in Featured Articles, Pakistan, Politics on 11 12th, 2009   The day after the terrible terrorist attack at Islamabad’s Islamic University that took the lives of eight innocent students, certain TV news channels ran a footage of a dozen or so angered students of the university pelting stones. The first question that popped up in my mind after watching the spectacle was, what on earth were these understandably enraged young men throwing their stones at?   So I waited for the TV cameras to pan towards the direction where the stones were landing. But that did not happen. It seemed as if the students were pelting stones just for the heck of it.   So I called a fellow journalist friend who was covering the story for a local TV channel and asked him about the protest. He told me the students were pelting stones at a handful of cops. Now, why in God’s good name would one throw stones at cops after being attacked by demented men who call themselves the Taliban?   The very next day another protest took place outside the attacked University in which the students, both male and female, were holding banners that said: ‘Kerry-Lugar Bill namanzoor!’ (Kerry-Lugar Bill Not Acceptable).   I could barely stop myself from bursting into a short sharp fit of manic laughter. It was unbelievable. Or was it, really?   Here we have a university that was attacked by a psychotic suicide bomber who slaughtered and injured dozens of students so he could get his share of hooris in Paradise. The attack was then proudly owned by the Tekrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. And in its wake, we saw enraged students protesting against the Kerry-Lugar act? What a response!   What did the Kerry-Lugar act have to do with the suicide attack? Wasn’t this remarkably idiotic ‘protest rally’ by the students actually an insult to those who were so mercilessly slaughtered by holy barbarians?   But then, some would suggest that in a society like Pakistan, such idiosyncrasies should be swallowed as a norm. And I agree. What else can one expect from a society living in a curiously delusional state of denial, gleefully mistaking it as ‘patriotism’ and ‘concern.’ It seems no amount of proof will ever be enough to dent Pakistanis’ resolve to defend the unsubstantiated, wild theories that they so dearly hold in their rapidly shrinking heads.   Take for instance the recent case of a famous TV anchorman who visited a devastated area in Peshawar that was bombed by a remote-controlled car bomb. He talked to about 10 people at the scene. More than half of the folks interviewed spouted out those squarely unproven and thoroughly clichéd tirades about RAW/CIA/Mossad being the ‘real perpetrators’ and that ‘no Muslim is capable of inflicting such acts of barbarity.’   A friend of mine who was also watching this hapless exhibition of the usual top-of-mind nonsense suddenly announced that he wanted to jump in, hold these men by the arms, and shake them violently so they could be ‘awoken from their dreadful sleepwalking state.’   Pakistanis routinely continue to deny the fact that the monsters who are behind all the faithful barbarism that is cutting this country into bits are the mutant product of what our governments, military, intelligence agencies, and society as a whole have been up to in the past 30 years or so. Well, this is exactly what happens to a society that responds so enthusiastically to all the major symptoms of fascist thought. Symptoms such as powerful and continuing nationalism; disdain for the recognition of human rights; identification of enemies/scapegoats as a unifying cause; supremacy of the military; obsession with national security; the intertwining of religion and government; disdain for intellectuals and the arts; an obsession with crime and punishment, etc.   Have not the bulk of Pakistanis willingly allowed themselves to be captured in all the macho and paranoid trappings of the above-mentioned symptoms of collective psychosis. It clearly smacks of a society that has been ripening and readying itself for an all-round fascist scenario.   This is the scenario some among us are really talking about when they speak of ‘imposing the system of the Khulfa Rashideen’ or shariah, or whatever profound buzzwords adopted to explain Pakistan’s march towards a wonderful society of equality and justice? Words that mean absolutely nothing, or systems and theories either based on ancient musings of tribal societies or on glorified myths of bravado.   I felt bad for the few bystanders at that Peshawar bombing site who kept contradicting their more gung-ho contemporaries by reminding them that for months the shopkeepers where receiving threatening letters from the Taliban warning them that they should stop selling products for women and ban the entry of women in the area.   One shop-owner who said he lost more than millions of rupees worth of goods in the blast was slightly taken aback when the anchor asked him who he thought was behind the bomb attack. For a few seconds he looked curiously at the anchor’s face, as if wondering why would a major TV news channel be asking a question whose answer was so obvious. ‘What do you mean, who was responsible?’ he asked. ‘The Taliban, of course!’   Fasi Zaka wrote a scathing piece on the floozy response of some students who chanted slogans against the Kerry-Lugar Bill outside the freshly bombed Islamic University. He was battered with hate mail, even from those who did agree with him that it were the Taliban who bombed the unfortunate university. But these folks turned out to be even worse than the deniers. They are apologists of all the mayhem that takes place in the name of Islam in this country.   Every time the barbarians set themselves off taking innocent men, women, and children with them, these apologists suddenly emerge to write letters to newspapers and try to dominate internet forums explaining the intricate ‘socio-economic problems’ that are turning men into terrorists. Or worse – as is expected from reactionary news reporters like Ansar Abbasi – they will start giving details about the infidel targets that the terrorists were really after at the place of the attack.   Zaka told me that he got letters suggesting that the Taliban attacked the canteen of the Islamic University because ‘women students were not behaving and dressing according to Islam.’ The state under Ziaul Haq had the Hudood Ordinance for such ‘loose women,’ but now the Taliban have bombs for them. And mind you, those who were trying to justify the bombing in this respect at the University were ‘educated’ young men and even women.   Recently, we also heard about a hijab-clad female student at the prestigious and ‘liberal’ Lahore University of Management Sciences, who bagged her 15 minutes of fame by capturing images through her mobile phone of students indulging in ‘immoral activities’ on campus. Of course, the same lady’s ‘concern’ and righteousness ends at becoming a self-appointed paparazzi for the reactionaries, whereas it was young women (in hijabs) and men with beards who died so senselessly at the Islamabad Islamic University campus.   Pathetic, indeed.   http://blog.dawn.com/2009/11/12/a-nation-of-sleepwalkers/   From virtuallyme at gmail.com Thu Nov 12 18:27:54 2009 From: virtuallyme at gmail.com (Rohan DSouza) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:27:54 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms Message-ID: <79e82f610911120457r7194d933qb1be5dec98dc23a@mail.gmail.com> Thanks a lot Sonia and Kshmendra for the article and the report. It is truly a significant doc, coming as it does from the stables of a government so hell bent on creating a neo-liberal driven dystopia! Rohan > Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:05:27 -0800 (PST) > From: Kshmendra Kaul > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms > To: Sarai , "S. Jabbar" > > Message-ID: <599193.29624.qm at web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > " The Biggest Grab of Tribal Lands after Columbus " > > This is the title of the section in the report dealing with the situation > in "southern districts of Bastar, Dantewara and Bijapur in Chattishgarh." > and the conflict between "Peoples War Group now known as the Communist Party > of India (Maoist) on the one side and the armed tribal fighters of the Salva > Judum created and encouraged by the government and supported with the > firepower and organization of the central police forces." > > The full report can be read at : > > http://www.rd.ap.gov.in/IKPLand/MRD_Committee_Report_V_01_Mar_09.pdf > > > Kshmendra > > > --- On Thu, 11/12/09, S. Jabbar wrote: > > > From: S. Jabbar > Subject: [Reader-list] Govt report: land reforms > To: "Sarai" > Date: Thursday, November 12, 2009, 4:34 PM > > > Govt report: land reforms > > Mind The Drill > > From prabhjot at cohre.org Thu Nov 12 09:52:46 2009 From: prabhjot at cohre.org (Prabhjot) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:52:46 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Call for submissions - COHRE Housing and ESC Rights Law Quarterly Message-ID: Call for submissions The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) seeks submissions for publication in the Housing and ESC Rights Law Quarterly. This is an opportunity not only to promote the good work of individuals and organisations around the world but to contribute to the growing movement to ensure that economic, social and cultural rights are enforceable on an equal footing with civil and political rights. Indeed, the Quarterly is considered an essential housing and economic, social and cultural rights advocacy tool. By providing up-to-date jurisprudence, presenting model legislation, and encouraging litigation strategy-related discussion, it empowers advocates seeking to forward housing and ESC rights. It also instructs national, regional and international debates around ESC rights litigation and justiciability. As of the end of 2009, the digital version of the Quarterly is read by thousands. Readers include those working in NGOs and national human rights institutions, human rights lawyers, and UN and government officials. In addition, the hardcopy Quarterly is sent to an ever-growing number of human rights advocates, working in an academic, government or civil society context. The Quarterly is also provided to university and other libraries and research centres throughout the world. COHRE seeks articles on specific ESC rights cases, jurisprudence and legislation as well as shorter “case notes” on notable ESC rights cases and shorter “cases to watch” regarding relevant cases currently pending before international or domestic courts. These articles, case notes and cases to watch offer an opportunity to promote your work on the legal enforcement of economic, social and cultural rights to a broad community of human rights advoctes. For previous editions of the Quarterly see: http://www.cohre.org/view_page.php?page_id=125. Please send submissions both to Litigation at cohre.org and Quarterly at cohre.org Bret Thiele, Coordinator - Litigation Programme Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) 8 N. 2nd Avenue East Suite 208 Duluth, MN 55802 U.S.A. tel/fax: (218)-733-1370 www.cohre.org and www.cohre.org/litigation Housing Rights for Everyone, Everywhere -- Prabhjot R Khan Women's Housing Rights Officer - Asia and Pacific Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) Mumbai 400102 INDIA COHRE International Secretariat 83 rue de Montbrillant 1202 Geneva Switzerland Email: prabhjot at cohre.org http://www.cohre.org/women "Housing Rights for Everyone, Everywhere" From prabhjot at cohre.org Thu Nov 12 09:54:20 2009 From: prabhjot at cohre.org (Prabhjot) Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:54:20 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Housing Rights and the Right to the City in Latin America Message-ID: <593F694702EE4BA79CBA3A5A35E67EDD@Prabhjot> Dear All, The COHRE Americas Programme (CAP) presents the fourth edition of its Bulletin on "Housing Rights and the Right to the City in Latin America", with a special focus on Evictions. This edition provides articles on, inter alia, the Inter-American System of Human Rights (by Carlos Loarca Solórzano); Displaced population and housing rights in Colombia (by Fernando Pachón Piñeros) and an analysis of a new Ordinance in Brazil regarding protection of human rights in the face of evictions. We hope you will find this edition interesting and informative. The Spanish and Portuguese versions will be available for download from the COHRE website at http://www.cohre.org/bulletin. Kind regards, COHRE - Americas Programme _________________________________________ Soledad Dominguez Oficial de Comunicación / Communications Officer Programa de las Américas COHRE Centro por el Derecho a la Vivienda y contra los Desalojos Rua Jerônimo Coelho, 102 - 31 90010-240 Porto Alegre (RS) - Brasil Tel./Fax: +55 51 3212.1904 -- Prabhjot R Khan Women's Housing Rights Officer - Asia and Pacific Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) Mumbai 400102 INDIA COHRE International Secretariat 83 rue de Montbrillant 1202 Geneva Switzerland Email: prabhjot at cohre.org http://www.cohre.org/women "Housing Rights for Everyone, Everywhere" From yasir.media at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 12:46:14 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:16:14 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <845360.18934.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <341380d00911110318y7e5ef352rf31651e364082771@mail.gmail.com> <845360.18934.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911122316y8f2f2bva9b578879307b577@mail.gmail.com> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers I'll take it as a sorting mistake. best > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > wrote: > > 'Going Muslim' > > > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > > > America after Fort Hood. > > > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon > of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" > and guns down his colleagues. > > > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we > must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we > might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the > turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly > donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort > Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to > vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow > Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and > "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not > necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the > imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding > of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory > catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a > history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" > in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his > day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli > that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the > laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious > "departure." > > > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is > that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their > identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as > a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How > to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands > of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who > are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we > continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even > though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one > group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security > problem, where we check all people--including Chinese > grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a > grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial > sense, but also in terms > of > > the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the > appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral > principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite > in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and > self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President > Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a > grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was > responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. > Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. > troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements > and apparent incompetence? > > > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that > the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have > had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab > males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as > Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which > is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of > normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is > founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for > piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as > craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no > one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with > people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration > challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of > swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how > we do this. > > > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European > countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. > But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to > view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad > trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with > his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust > doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and > not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan > variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot > dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is > an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The > Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging > about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and > yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the > "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man > killed his colleagues. > > > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the > armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members > that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of > command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department > that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for > alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of > suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to > be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a > fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at > Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > > > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > From nicheant at yahoo.co.uk Fri Nov 13 15:01:52 2009 From: nicheant at yahoo.co.uk (Nishant) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:31:52 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] International Film Festival Of Kashmir 2009 Message-ID: <733336.61919.qm@web27901.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Dear Friends You are cordially invited to the International film Festival of Kashmir 2009. The third edition of festival from 13-15 November 2009 will be held at Tagore Hall, Srinagar. It will showcase some of the best documentaries from South Asia and around the world for the serious film buffs of the valley. Its aim is to show films which will otherwise hardly be seen in this part of the world. Organised by XMITA (Experimental Moving Images & Theatre Asociation), a Srinagar-based cultural organisation, in association with J&K Academy of Arts and Culture, this year's edition will be more engaging and interesting from the earlir times. About 15 films that will be screened over the period of three days will be a treat for media students, filmmakers, academics and film buffs alike, as the bouquet includes films made on topics from classic music in Pakistan to Muslims in the US, from the film industry of Ladakh to the Reshi philosophy of Kashmir. Some of the works that will be screened are Yousef Saeed’s Khayal Darpan, exploring the development of classical music in Pakistan, Amar Kanwar’s The Lightning Testimonies, which reflects on a history of conflict in the subcontinent through experiences of gender violence; Musa Syeed’s Bronks Princess, a story of an American-born Muslim girl searching for her identity;Out of Thin Air, by Samreen Farouqi and Shaban Hassanwlia about the indigenous film industry of Ladakh; Riding Solo, by Gaurav Jani;Hearts Suspended, by Meghna Damani; andKnow Me by Ali Emran. 　 Apart from the film screenings, the sidelines of the festival will have discussion sessions on various film-related topics. The festival will also mark the 5th year of XMITA's efforts in arts and culture. Please visit the following link for more on the event: http://www.facebook.com/share.php?appid=2344061033&src=box&tid=211302218708&u=http%3A%2F%2Fconnect.in.com%2Fair-india%2Farticle-3rd-international-film-festival-in-kashmir-from-tomorrow-313826-7ef92f2f1cc557b52c09fadc6138289657ff8215.html#/event.php?eid=211302218708&ref=nf. Warm wishes Nishant. Festival Coordinator IFFK 2009. nicheant at gmail.com Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com From anivar.aravind at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 16:53:56 2009 From: anivar.aravind at gmail.com (Anivar Aravind) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:23:56 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Nandan Nilekani's Confidential UID Document Leaked Message-ID: <35f96d470911130323n30c8661jaecbcabe5470dc53@mail.gmail.com> Wikileaks is a website that publishes anonymous submissions and leaks of sensitive governmental, corporate, or religious documents, while attempting to preserve the anonymity and untraceability of its contributors. Wikileaks today published the Confidential plan on UID Wikileaks Tweet Says : Confidential plans for 1.2 billion ID cards: Creating a unique ID for every resident in India http://tr.im/EShS http://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/5675837002 There is enormous critiques to UID from various angles. UID authority was not responding to various RTI Requests by pointing silly reasons. Last week a sarbajit roy Wrote the following in a list about his complaint *The Central Information Commission has undertaken a (very expeditious for once) prima-facie enquiry into my Complaint (filed online) in RTI Act that the UIDAI is not complying with mandate of RTI Act to disclose its workings /processes proactively and involve the Indian public in its decision making process. The CIC's first level enquiry has found merit in my complaint and has summoned the senior-most officer of UIDAI (not Nandan Nilekani) to appear before it next week. A senior officer of the Planning Commission has also been summoned along with him - as an issue has arisen if the UIDAI is an "authority" or merely an "attached office" of the Planning Commission * This leaking raises some serious issues . If UIDA is too much concerned about the security of this leaked document and not responding to numerous RTI requests about the project, It is the time to think about the Security UIDA offers. Ho we can expect our data to be safe with UIDA ? ~ Regards Anivar Aravind -- "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 18:05:08 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:05:08 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Job vacancy at The Corbett Foundation In-Reply-To: References: <1153374430.990011257395707778.JavaMail.root@mbr16.indiatimes.com> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Archi Rastogi archirastogi at gmail.com Message below may be of interest, Archi ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kedar Gore Date: Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 8:35 PM Subject: Job vacancy at The Corbett Foundation Dear Friends, The Corbett Foundation (TCF), a non-profit NGO dedicated to wildlife conservation, environmental awareness and sustainable development through active community participation around the PAs, invites applications for the post of Programme Officer (Wildlife) at the Kutch Ecological Research Centre (KERC), the Foundation's field office in Kutch. Given below are the job requirements: Position: Programme Officer (Wildlife) Min. Qualification: A Masters degree in ecology, wildlife biology, zoology, botany and/or Life Science The incumbent should meet the following basic job requirements: - At least two-three years of experience in conservation-oriented field research work, preferably in Kutch area. - Should be able to conceptualise and execute projects, write proposals for suitable funding opportunities and make professional reports - Excellent drafting and communication skills in English; knowledge of local language (Gujarati) will be preferred - Proficiency in computers is absolutely essential Those interested in applying, may please send in their application and CV on gore.kedar at gmail.com on or before November 12, 2009 indicating your interest in applying for the above-mentioned position. PLEASE DO NOT send any applications / queries on the e-groups. Thanks & Regards, Kedar Gore Director The Corbett Foundation 81/88, 'Atlanta', 8th floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 India Tel. No. +91 22 6146 6400 (board) Tel. No. +91 22 6146 6417 (direct) Mobile No. +91 98202 31239 Email: gore.kedar at gmail.com Website: www.corbettfoundation.org From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Fri Nov 13 20:41:54 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:41:54 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <341380d00911110318y7e5ef352rf31651e364082771@mail.gmail.com> References: <402823.77724.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <341380d00911110318y7e5ef352rf31651e364082771@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <760993.17313.qm@web94713.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Nice piece. I have 2 questions, a. Did Hasan's colleagues/seniors see his vindictive/ violent attitude that Islam is supposed to have from it's origin in him? b. How was that different from the general american mind, and how particularly was it against the members of the society? c. What is the size/ expenditure on US army? What impact shall no PC have on the civil life. Could we co-rrelate incidents in assam and kolkatta nightclubs as in Indian Army, sorry never been to US. 'Going Pc', I suggest should be the mentality, as on seeing a different person, from a different culture and values behaving differently in his own circle, we form prejudices, however friendly and socialising he might be before us.  If this is 2-wayed then we are inherently seggregationalist, else there exists a certain tone, while the newcomers might be compelled to be PC (or, camouflage, for the present), the Incumbants have no such pressure, some of them create a bias in every discretions.............................. Isn't it then going Pc rather than a self heralded PC medal? One needs to ponder upon...... In India too Muslims suceed in ranks only if they come from special backgrounds. Should a single case be then used to further pressurise, no hold barred? Regards, Subhrodip.  ________________________________ From: anupam chakravartty To: sarai list ; Kshmendra Kaul Sent: Wed, 11 November, 2009 4:48:20 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Dear Kshmendra, Varadarajan offers a conclusion that almost take me back to the times Bush era: "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it."  While Hasan's act is heinous, but I do not understand what makes Varadarajan say: "The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues." Is it really this 'dont-jump-to-conclusions" mentality responsible for this? Or is it constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/06/nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-shooting1)? -anupam On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > 'Going Muslim' > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > America after Fort Hood. > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues. > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure." > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence? > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this. > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues. > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From susan.2020 at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 23:18:52 2009 From: susan.2020 at gmail.com (Susan Thomas) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:18:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?HungerFREE_Children!_A_photo_exhib?= =?windows-1252?q?ition_=2816th_=96_27th_November=2C_2009_at_Britis?= =?windows-1252?q?h_Council_Library=29?= Message-ID: *HungerFREE Children!* A photo exhibition | Opening on the 16th at 6:30 pm @ British Council Library... Do join us! *Why:* Over half of India’s child population under the age of six suffers from malnutrition. Most live in families of poor and marginalised communities. Every fourth child in India never gets to attend a school. Living without food, healthcare, education and in an unsafe surrounding they battle against hunger and dream of a better future and a better world. With help from hundreds of community organisations, ActionAid works with the most vulnerable groups of children across India. We do not see a child detached from their family and immediate surrounding, so we work together with families, teachers and government agencies to get them their right to food, shelter and education. *What:* Evocative images of slum children, runaway children on railway platforms, child labourers that lend a face to childhood wrecked by poverty, yet celebrating their fight for rights for a better tomorrow. We as a nation must commit to HungerFREE Children by giving them their rights and addressing poverty that is at the root of lost childhood. Come join UK celebrity, Katherine Kelly of Coronation Street fame and young scholars from slums of Delhi for discussions over high tea! *Where:* British Council, 17 Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi *When: *6:30 pm, 16th November 2009 *Media Contact:* Susan +91 9968261974; Parvinder +91 09811224816 Katherine Kelly, born on 19 November 1979, is a British actress and is best known for currently playing Becky Granger one of UK's longest running soap opera, Coronation Street, for which she also won Best Actress award at the British Soap Awards. She is in India to celebrate her 30th birthday with communities that ActionAid India works with. Katherine trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), London, graduating in 2001. She has worked extensively in TV, Film, Radio and Voice-over. She was a leading lady at the Royal Shakespeare Company 2004-2005, performing in both Stratford-Upon-Avon and the West End. In 2009 itself she has Won 'Best Soap Personality' at the 2009 TRIC Awards; Won 'Favourite Soap Female' at the 2009 TV Now Awards; Won 'Favourite Soap Couple' for her onscreen romance with Steve McDonald portrayed by Simon Gregson; Won 'Best Actress' at the 2009 British Soap Awards; Nominated in the category of 'Best Onscreen Partnership' at the British Soap Awards again alongside Simon Gregson; Won 'Best Soap Actress' at the 2009 TV Quick and TV Choice Awards. From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Sat Nov 14 10:59:00 2009 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 10:59:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: (Fwd) Fidel Castro's Notes on Obama Tour to Asian States Nov 2009 In-Reply-To: <1f9180970911132126m34d6f342xb084c660adf0d690@mail.gmail.com> References: <1f9180970911132126m34d6f342xb084c660adf0d690@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1f9180970911132129n1aeb72d7ue14d1e8a5abea8cc@mail.gmail.com> http://www.countercurrents.org/castro131109.htm A Science Fiction Story *By Fidel Castro* 13 November, 2009 *Countercurrents.org* I very much regret to have to criticize Obama knowing that there are in that country other could-be presidents worse than him. I am aware that that position in the United States is today a major headache. The best example of this is the report in yesterday’s edition of Granma that 237 US members of Congress, or 44%, are millionaires. This does not mean that every one of them is an incorrigible reactionary but it is extremely difficult that they feel like the many million Americans who do not have access to medical care, who are unemployed or who need to work very hard to earn their living. Of course, Obama himself is no beggar; he owns millions of dollars. He excelled as a professional and his command of language, his eloquence and intellect are unquestionable. Also, he was elected president despite his being an African American, a first time occurrence in the history of his country’s racist society, which is enduring a profound international economic crisis of its own making. This is not about being an anti-American as the system and its huge media intend to label its adversaries. The American people are not the culprits but rather the victims of a system that is not only unsustainable but worse still: it is incompatible with the life of humanity. The smart and rebellious Obama who suffered humiliation and racism in his childhood and youth understands this, but the Obama educated by the system and committed to it and to the methods that took him to the US presidency cannot resist the temptation to pressure, to threaten and even to deceive others. He is a workaholic. Perhaps no other American president would dare to engage in such an intense program as he intends to carry out in the next eight days. According to plan, he will take an extensive tour of Alaska where he intends to address the troops stationed there. He will be visiting Japan, Singapore, the People’s Republic of China and South Korea. He will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) and that of the Association of East Asian Nations (ASEAN). He will hold talks with the Prime Minister of Japan and His Majesty Emperor Akihito in the land of the Rising Sun as well as with the prime ministers of Singapore and South Korea and the presidents of Indonesia Susilo Bambang, of Russia Dimitri Medvedev and of the People’s Republic of China Hu Jintao. He will be making speeches and giving press conferences. He will be carrying with him his nuclear briefcase, which we hope he will have no need to use during his hasty tour. His Security advisor has said that Obama will discuss with the president of Russia the continuance of the START-1 Treaty set to expire on December 5, 2009. There is no doubt that some reductions of the enormous nuclear arsenal will be agreed upon, albeit this will be of no consequence to world peace and economy. What is our distinguished friend planning to discuss during his intense journey? The White House has made its solemn announcement: climate change and economic recovery; nuclear disarmament and the Afghan war; and, the risks of war in Iran and in the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea. There is plenty of material to produce a science fiction book. But, how can Obama unravel the problems of climate change when the position of his representatives during the preparatory meetings of the Copenhagen Summit on the greenhouse effect gas emissions was the worst among those of the industrialized and rich nations, both in Bangkok and Barcelona, because the United States chose not to sign the Kyoto Protocol and the oligarchy of that country is not willing to really cooperate. How can he contribute to the solution of the grave economic problems afflicting a large part of humanity when at the end of 2008 the total debt of the United States --including that of the federal, state and local administrations, the businesses and families—amounted to 57 trillion dollars, that is, over 400% of its GDP, and that country’s budget deficit reached almost 13% of its GDP in fiscal year 2009, an information that Obama is certainly aware of. What can he offer Hu Jintao when his openly protectionist policies have been aimed against the Chinese exports and he is demanding at all costs that the Chinese government revaluates the Yuan, an action that would adversely impact on the growing Third World imports from China? The Brazilian theologian Leonardo Boff, who is not a disciple of Karl Marx but an honest catholic among others who are not willing to cooperate with the imperialism in Latin America, has recently said that “….we are risking our destruction and the devastation of life’s diversity.” “[…] almost half of humanity is living today under the poverty line. The wealthiest 20% are consuming 82.49% of all of the riches on Earth while the poorest 20% are living on a tiny 1.6%.” He also quotes the FAO as he warns that “…there will be in the upcoming years from 150 to 200 million climate refugees.” And then he adds that “humanity is consuming today a 30% above the regenerating capacity…the planet is giving unmistakable signs that it can stand it no more.” What he says is true, but Obama and the US Congress have yet to find out. What is he leaving to us in the hemisphere? The shameful problem in Honduras and the annexation of Colombia where the United States will set up seven military bases. They also established a military base in Cuba more than one-hundred years ago and remain there by force. It was in that base where they installed the horrible torture center widely known around the world; the same that Obama has been unable to close, yet. I hold the view that before Obama completes his term there will be from six to eight right-wing governments in Latin America that will be allies of the empire. Likewise, the US extreme right will try to limit his administration to one term. Once again there will be a Nixon, a Bush or the like of a Cheney in the White House. Then, the meaning will be clear of those absolutely unjustifiable bases threatening today the South American peoples with the pretext of fighting drug-trafficking, a problem created by the tens of billions of dollars that organized crime and the production of drugs in Latin America receive from the United States. Cuba has shown it only takes justice and social development to fight drugs. In our country, the crime rate per 100,000 people is one of the lowest in the world. No other country in the hemisphere can exhibit such low rates of violence. It is known that, despite the blockade, no other country can boast our high education levels. The Latin American peoples will resist the onslaught of the empire! Obama’s trip seems a science fiction story. Fidel Castro Ruz November 11, 2009 You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From kmvenuannur at gmail.com Sat Nov 14 11:22:21 2009 From: kmvenuannur at gmail.com (Venugopalan K M) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:22:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Kafila In-Reply-To: <1f9180970911132135q6a59ef23r934c96aa467a20e7@mail.gmail.com> References: <000e0cd6aa882200d504784dc261@google.com> <1f9180970911132135q6a59ef23r934c96aa467a20e7@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1f9180970911132152n5bb3c2ak6012091b739c37d@mail.gmail.com> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Kafila Date: Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 10:38 AM Subject: Kafila To: kmvenuannur at gmail.com Kafila ------------------------------ Did Goa Government ‘Partially Finance’SS Terrorists? Posted: 12 Nov 2009 10:59 PM PST Sanatan Sanstha’s link to Margao blast conspiracy just got thicker with all five accused arrested in the case having allegiance to the Hindu right wing organisation operating from Goa police said. The latest arrest of 20-year old Dhananjay Ashtekar, an engineering student from Khed in Ratnagiri is also associated with Sanatan Sanstha’s activities. Ashtekar was arrested on Wednesday evening by state police’s Special Investigation Team, which is mandated to probe the blast. “He is related to Sanstha and has made it clear during his interrogation,” Superintendent of Police and spokesperson for Goa police department Atmaram Deshpande told PTI on Thursday. Ashtekar was studying in an engineering college at Ichalkaranji, a town in western Maharashtra. Deshpande said that the youth was being interrogated over blast case and only when there was sufficient material on record to prove his involvement, he was placed under arrest. Ashtekar is the fifth Sanatan Sanstha activist found to be linked with the blast conspiracy which went awry on the eve of Diwali. Earlier two accused, Malgonda Patil and Yogesh Naik, who died in the Margao blast and two arrested persons, Vinayak Patil and Vinay Talekar, have confessed their links to Sanstha, which operates through its Ashram at Ramnathi. Deshpande had earlier said that the Sanstha is under scanner as its activists are part of the blast conspiracy. The police have, however, refused to move for a ban against Sanstha as there are no enough evidence to rope in it for the conspiracy. The Margao blast took place on October 16 killing two persons. © Copy 2009 PTI. www.rediff.com, November 12, 2009 15:49 IST) I. *How to keep Procrastinating When It Comes To Hindutva Terror ?* With every passing day it is becoming apparent that Indian state has different yardsticks to treat terrorism of the Hindutva kind and that of the ‘Jihadi’ kind. It is not for nothing that more than four weeks after the bomb blasts in Goa – which saw deaths of two activists of Sanatan Sanstha, a emergent fanatic group cloaked in spiritual clothing – there has not been any significant move on part of the Goan government. Apart from arrests of three people – Vinay Talekar, 30, and Vinayak Patil, 27, originally from Karnataka and Dhananjay Ashtekar, a student of engineering from Ratnagiri- we have seen merely empty statements emanating from the powers that be, which at times were even found to be contradictory to each other. And all those claims by the home minister Mr Ravi Naik that the government is contemplating ban on the organisation have similarly proved empty promises merely made for public consumption. In fact a leading police officer from Goa Superintendent of Police Atmaram Deshpande- who is incharge of the investigations into the Goa bomb blasts – had made the intentions clear while talking to the media about the “..difference between jihadi terrorism and right wing Hindu terrorism” ( 2 nd Nov 2009). Despite the danger the conspiracy posed to the atmosphere of fragile peace in Margao – which happens to be a communally sensitive city – the Superintendent of Police had no qualms in sharing his weird understanding vis-a-vis terrorim. “The aims and goals of both groups differ. Jihadi elements have threatened Goa’s coastline in the past. We have also received threats of places frequented by tourists being targeted in the past. But this is different,” “The recent attack shows that the target was a public function frequented by many people. Chaos was perhaps their intended objective,” he added. Perhaps the police officer did not want to look at the revealations that the dead activists and the accused were hoping to fan communal tensions by misleading the police through items they wanted to leave behind at the site: a shopping bag from a shop at “Khan Market” Delhi, a bottle of traditional perfume popular among Muslims and an empty bag of basmati rice on which all the words were in Urdu. As a recap of the whole incident it may be told that how two people, both members of the Sanatan Sanstha, died in the Diwali eve blast when detonator-rigged gelatine sticks they were ferrying on a scooter exploded. Malgonda Patil, a Sangli-based high ranking member of the SS died of injuries a few hours after the blast; the other scooter rider Yogesh Naik succumbed to his injuries a few days later. It is learnt both Patil and Naik, who have been accused in the blast case, were parking their scooter near a festive gathering 100 metres from the district administration headquarters building when the gelatine sticks exploded.Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was in close proximity when the incident occurred. They were also involved in planting another bomb at Sancaole town 20 km away , near the port town of Vasco, which could not explode because of the alertness shown by the people around.in The alert occupants of a truck flung a bag into a nearby field when they heard a clock ticking inside.The zipped bag contained a timer device and a few sticks of gelatine, which was diffused by the police bomb disposal squad late in the night. The truck was carrying nearly 40 people and was headed for a narakasura competition, where thousands of people were gathered to see several giant effigies being judged for prizes and then set on fire, as part of a popular Diwali tradition in Goa. In a writeup in Indian Express ( 8 th Nov 2009) ‘ Goa Bombers Tried To Leave Muslim Imprint’ the reporter even quotes another police officer on the condition of anonymity ” The material was enough to spark communal trouble in Margao and extremist elements from outside would have found it easy to aggravate it.” A close look at the plan to ‘leave Muslim imprint’ had echoes of earlier attempts by Hindutva terrorists of different hues to spark communal tension. The Malegaon bomb blast in 2008 which saw the exposure of the wide Hindutva terrorist network – thanks to the efforts of a committed officer like Hemant Karkare – had also seen similar actions by the fanatics. In fact the members of Abhinav Bharat had parked their explosive laden motorcycle below the defunct office of the SIMI in Bhikhu Chowk, Malegaon. The Nanded bomb blast in 2006 had also seen fake beards and dresses normally worn by Muslims at the house of the terrorists who had died in the bomb blasts. II. *Did the Goan government partially foot the bill for the blasts ?* Investigation into the Goa bomb blasts has exposed a another dangerous dimension of the sprawling network of Sanatan Sanstha within the administration. Whether it has to do with the presence of Sudhin Dhavalikar, a minister in the Digambar Kamat government whose wife Jyoti happens to be part of the leading team of Sanatan Sanstha needs to be further probed ? And thus despite the fact that Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad had forwarded a proposal to the Maharashtra government to ban the organisation after the infamous blast at Gadkari Rangayatan (theatre) in Thane in June 2008, and Panvel and when investigations had pointed fingers at the Sanatan Sanstha, the Goan government continued with its policy of advertising in the newspaper brought out by the Sanstha. …Menino Peres, director of the department of information and publicity (DIP) that controls state government advertising, said several advertisements had been released to the propaganda arm of the SS, a multilingual broadsheet named Sanatan Prabhat, over the years. “We released advertisements to them like we issue ads to other papers too. We are not going out of our way doing it,” Peres told IANS. Peres was unable to immediately mention the amount of money that was spent by the DIP on advertisements released to the SS annually. When asked if the state government would stop releasing advertisements to the newspaper in view of the new found infamy gained by the SS, Peres said such a decision would have to be taken by the state government. …Vishnu Wagh, advisor to the DIP, told reporters Thursday that the daily Sanatan Prabhat had the potential to “breed terrorists”. Wagh also said that the newspaper had been abusing the liberties granted under the freedom of media for a long time now. “Dainik Sanatan Prabhat has abused freedom of press for long now. They have consistently derided the system of democracy in the country. Their literature can easily breed terrorists,” Wagh said. “The literature published in the newspaper is socially divisive and acts like poison in society,” he added. (Oct 30, 2009, IANS) Interestingly much on the lines of involvement of Lt Col Purohit, who was one of the mastermind of the Malegaon bomb blasts, one also finds that the Sanatan Sanstha could have also established links within some sections of the military to further its divisive agenda. A report carried by ‘Deccan Herald’(31.10.2009) makes a disturbing revelations about an ex-Navy officer’s Sanatan links going unprobed. (Devika Sequeira, Panaji, Oct 30, DHNS) Former Indian Navy officer Sean Michael Clarke, the son of retired Commodore Richard Clarke, has been an active member of the Sanatan Sanstha in Goa for over three years. Internal police documents in the possession of this newspaper show that Sean Clarke, lived in the Sanatan Ramnathi ashram in Ponda from December 2006, the very year he acquired Australian nationality. On May 5, 2009, Sean Clarke, 39, made a formal application to the CID for a year’s extension of his visa, “to render ‘seva’ (service)” to the Sanatan Ramnathi ashram as a full time voluntary worker. Though the former navy officer styles himself as a spiritual guru, claiming to run the Sanatan’s Spiritual Research Foundation website, police documents show he shared the dais publicly with militant saffron groups like the Bajran Dal, VHP and the RSS on two occasions here in Goa. The public meetings were suffused with provocative rhetoric directed at the government and the minorities. But the police cleared Sean for visa extensions several times saying there was nothing “adverse” in his record. The Sanatan says Sean is no longer in the ashram. “He left some three or four months ago,” SS trustee Virendra Marathe told this newspaper. His sister, the once well-known model Sharon Clarke Sequeira, 42, however, still lives in the ashram. Marathe says she has been associated with them from 1990… He took premature retirement, his documents say, for medical reasons. His father Richard Clarke served as the CO of the navy’s Hansa base in Goa in the 90s. III. *SANATAN in Serbia ?* As it always happens the most convenient way of shirking one’s responsibility in any particular case is blaming ’systemic failure’. Ravi Naik, the home minister of Goa, who has recently been in news after his statements after the Goa blasts recently admitted that the Margao blast, indicated an intelligence failure. “State intelligence agencies had no knowledge of the blast in the commercial town, which clearly indicates their failure,” Naik told a local media channel during a television show on Monday night. “Sanatan Saunstha was under the police scanner after the Thane and Panvel blasts in Maharashtra, but despite this they (intelligence agencies) had no inkling of what is being conspired by its members,” he said. (Margao blast indicates intelligence failure, admits Goa minister, November 03, 2009 13:46 IST, www.rediff.com) Perhaps he should have replaced ‘intelligence failure’ with ‘absence of political will’. It is also being discussed that the foreign links of this fanatic group are being probed to know its wide network. In fact it would be in the larger interest of humanity if Mr Ravi Naik looks into this report prepared by a group of experts about Sanatan’s operations in Serbia and the manner in which it was ultimately banned there calling it an “..[e]xceptionally harmful cult that threatens human rights, freedom of choice, freedom of opinion, of belief as well as mental and social balance, and the safety of the individual as well as that of the State. Under a humanitarian disguise, Sanatan champions terrorism” (http://griess.st1.at/gsk/fecris/85%20conf%20engl%20PETROVIC.htm, for its reference go through the below links, http://www.icsahome.cominfoserv_enews/affnb_2005_01.htm and also http://www.google.comcse?cx=001799989780590661597%3A5b8gyda5z5a&ie=UTF-8&q=sanatan&sa=Search) The report (“SANATAN”: spiritual science or a mentally and socially exceptionally dangerous cult ?) prepared in 2004 discusses how “..[t]he social situation in Serbia enabled the rise of a cult that is relatively unknown in our country, and is probably little known in other European Union countries, too.” It talks about the “Sanatan/Eternally New” cult, which promotes itself to the outside world as: “A Society for Scientific Spirituality” and its gurus are Dr. Djajant Baladie Atavle and Dr. Kunda Djajant Atavle whose publications includes “Hypnotherapy”, “Pakistani Psychology”, “The Science of Hypnosis”, “Kschatadarma – Protection of Sadaques and the destruction of criminals”. The said cult was listed in Serbia as a humanitarian organisation, thanks to ten people’s signature, under the usual statement of “without political, religious or lucrative aims”. Discussing the operations of the cult it present the following facts : “Sadaques are “truth seekers”. According to Spiritual Science, the Sadaque is willing to give up “his body, his mind, his material means and his life” to his spiritual guru, with the ultimate goal of sacrificing his life for the guru. The destruction of his enemies is the only spiritual practice of the Sadaques/truth seekers. .. Criminal are tradespeople, politicians, lawyers, doctors, the police, etc. – people who in actual fact trouble very few people. They must be destroyed while praising God and respecting “subjective emotions” and following “subtle signs”. They must be killed even through the use of weapons. This is, in fact, a very simple spiritual practice.” After briefly describing the Santan indoctrination the report provides details of how the group is led by a female guru who started by ‘renting an apartment and then buying a large house on the edge of Belgrade, at the foot of Mount Avala’ where this guru and her followers and sympathisers live. Interestingly the manner in which great deal of noise was made by people gathering there every day at the house led compelled the local people to approach the police for an inquiry into what was happening at the yellow house. The night following this request, an unknown person or group threw stones at this house and police and firemen quickly arrived at the scene and opened an inquest. It was worth noting that the media, the television, the radio and even the Human Rights Committee in Helsinki immediately reacted, which defended the rights of the “Sanatan humanitarian organisation – an organisation for human spirituality”. It was claimed that this humanitarian and spiritual organisation was being harassed by a mob of xenophobes, chauvinists and criminals from “reactionary groups”. The report prepared by a group of experts explains how their intervention ultimately forced the government to ban this ‘anti-social pseudo religious cult.” According to the report : “At this time of unrest, we gave two interviews to the media, explaining calmly in simple terms that not only was Sanatan a pseudo-psychological spiritual cult, but that it was also engaged in highly damaging mental manipulation, presenting grave danger for people’s mental health, their dignity and their fundamental rights, exploiting people’s weaknesses and ignorance. Sanatan lies dangerously through its mask of the promise of spiritual and mental development. With its “spiritual practices”, this cult in fact prepares its victim followers for antisocial and terrorist acts. While praising the Lord, they train themselves up for assassinating “criminals” chosen through “their inner feelings and subtle signs” under the guidance of the guru. This is an exceptionally dangerous doctrine for the individuals, their lives, the human rights in general and fundamental social balance. Our public conclusion was to officially call upon the State Prosecutor to give an indictment after a serious and thorough investigation. Some time later, for the first time in Serbia, an obviously anti-social pseudo-psychological cult was banned. The Minister for Human and Minority Rights banned Sanatan, Spiritual Science.”(Marseilles, March 27-28 2004) IV. *Pussyfooting in Dealing With Hindutva Extremists ?* In his recent writeup in *Economic and Political Weekly*, (which talks about recent arrest of Kobad Ghandy recently,) Sumanta Banerjee discusses “..[I]ndian state’s dual policy of pussyfooting in dealing with Hindu religious extremists on the one hand and trampling down on the dissenters upholding the cause of the poorer classes on the other.” (‘Two Parallel Narratives’, October 31, 2009) Discussing the “..deliberate design in this lopsided reversal of priorities of the Indian state” it tells us that “it is surely not mere oversight that the political ideologues of the Sangh Parivar – leaders like Pramod Muthalik, Bal Thackeray, Vinay Katiyar, Praveen Togadia, who openly preach violence against relgious minorities and secular forces – are seldom touched by the police.The Indian state winks at them – since they pose a threat only to the minority community section of the population, whose interestes have already been sacrificed by the politicians at the altar of majoritarian nationalism.” As things stand today, it is just a matter of time when the Goa blasts would be forgotten much on the lines of Nanded blasts or Kanpur blasts (August 2008) and similar other blasts involving Hindutva terrorists.Perhaps a much bigger tragedy would awaken us from our selective amnesia vis-a-vis terrorism of the Hindutva kind. Posted in Government, Politics, Right watch, Violence-Conflict Tagged: bomb-blasts, Hindutva, sanatan sanstha You are subscribed to email updates from Kafila To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now . Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 -- You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com -- You cannot build anything on the foundations of caste. You cannot build up a nation, you cannot build up a morality. Anything that you will build on the foundations of caste will crack and will never be a whole. -AMBEDKAR http://venukm.blogspot.com http://www.shelfari.com/kmvenuannur http://kmvenuannur.livejournal.com From santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com Sat Nov 14 11:52:44 2009 From: santhoshhrishikesh at gmail.com (santhosh hk) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:52:44 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] UGC NET Free online coaching started. Register today! Message-ID: UGC NET Free online coaching started. Register today! Multimedia Centre,Sree Neelakanta Government Sanskrit College Pattambi Phone 0466 2212223 email: sngscollege at gmail.com, career at sngscollege.info,mmc at sngscollege.info Website: www.sngscollege.info Our E-journal: www.vijnanacintamani.org 13 November 2009 Dear Sir/ Madam, We are glad to intimate you that the Career Guidance Cell and the Multimedia Centre of the college together offer long term training for National Eligibility Test (NET) aspirants. Unlike in the previous years when everything was carried out in physical space and real time, the college is all set to explore and exploit the cyber space now, offering unlimited reach and universal access.The course is absolutely free. In order to be a part of the programme, candidates have to register themselves at the link provided in the college website http://sngscollege.info . Immediately after the registration, each candidate will be send a private user name and password using which he/she can log on to the blog created for this purpose. The blog dishes out materials, notes, model questions, answers, interactions and discussions. To top it all, there will be online examinations and evaluation. Please note that handouts are distributed not in lump sum but in personalized bursts so as to stimulate actual classroom feel and conditions as closely as possible. We request you to enroll as many students as possible from your institute at the earliest and heartly welcome every single teacher to be a part of the project as such ambitious heights cannot be scaled without the unstinted support and cooperation of the wider academic franchise. The contribution will of a personal nature and will be duly acknowledged in such a way that candidates can contact teachers if necessary. Please feel free to contact Mr. H.K.. Santhosh (9037852621) or Dr.P.K.Sreekumar (9037936905/ 9947113641) for more details and guidelines. You can also register your names in this link http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/74993D18886B33AB/ From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sat Nov 14 14:51:10 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:21:10 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Veer Munshi; Pandit Homes & CONSTRUCTION WEEK Message-ID: <409867.34502.qm@web57207.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Artist Veer Munshi exhibhited at Tao Art Gallery in March 2009.   Architect Alfaz Miller happened to visit that show titled "SHRAPNEL". It prompted him to write a piece for "CONSTRUCTION WEEK" - "Pandit Homes of the Past".   It also led to Deepak Ganju's Video "My Lost Home in Kashmir" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl6nOV7iYTs&feature=related     Alfaz Miller, the architect, writes: " In artist Veer Munshi’s painstaking photographs shown at Tao Art Gallery in Mumbai recently, I could see clearly how the Valley has been ravaged and the Pandit houses systematically destroyed. In some cases, only remnants of roofs, wooden balconies and trelliswork could still be seen." The background to that comment is found elsewhere in the article: - " When I first visited Kashmir ......... As a student of architecture, I was enthralled as much by its rich architectural tradition as I was by its natural beauty. "   - """"" ..... I experienced the traditional Kashmiri hospitality, marvelled at the unique character of its people, and enjoyed its architectural and design diversity.""""""   - """""""" Most of all, I was fascinated by the unique architectural idiom of the Pandit Houses located in Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Srinagar. Composite load-bearing structures constructed with either stone or brick walls, these houses were either plastered or left exposed. The walls were thick to fulfill the need for insulation during the snow-bound winters. The floors and roof trusses were made of timber with timber floorboards to match   The older houses had timber shingles on the roof, while the more modern ones used galvanized iron roof sheeting. The design of the roof trusses is amazing in the way a variety of roof forms are integrated.  Steeply-pitched roof dormer, clerestory windows and fan-lights are combined to create functional yet aesthetic forms.   The architecture of these old houses is symbolic of cross-cultural influences in the Valley. The plastered motifs, the carved arched windows and decorative cantilevered balconies have a distinct Islamic character. The balconies and “mashrabias” (arabesque latticework) also display an Islamic influence.  The Persian influence was just as much evident in the woodwork as it is in the carpet designs.   As a youngster, I admired the proportions and meticulous detailing of the houses, both old and new. Built in the traditional way, as they were hundreds of years ago, the variety of roof trusses, how they were designed to take the load of snow and to withstand strong winds, were all intriguing aspects for me. Such designs were missing from my construction books! """"""" Full read at: http://www.constructionweekonline.in/article-5159-pandit_homes_of_past/     Kshmendra   From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sat Nov 14 15:45:40 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:15:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Photoshopped rally attendance (MQM in Gilgit-Baltistan rally) Message-ID: <478232.24335.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> MQM has been accused of having 'photoshopped' pics of their recent election rally in Gilgit-Baltistan.   Read at: http://www.pakpoint.com/mqm-exposed-gilgit-baltistan-fake-rally-pictures-are-made-with-adobe-photoshop/10537/   In Nov '07  a rally by the then Chief Minister of J&K became notorious for the 'photoshopped' pics of it that were released. It even made it to "Photoshop.News.com": http://photoshopnews.com/2007/11/07/photoshop-to-boost-kashmir-cm-image/   Kshmendra     From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Sat Nov 14 16:04:04 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:04:04 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Message-ID: <673635.27611.qm@web94708.mail.in2.yahoo.com> I dont want this edited, do not find reasons that offend any person, assosciation, or nation :).......... That part of Going PC, which I say is a reform, rather than cancer... Happened to read the archive, quite shocked. Made some fine tunings, to it. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: subhrodip sengupta To: Readers list Yousuf Sarai. Sent: Fri, 13 November, 2009 8:41:54 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Nice piece. I have 3 questions, a. Did Hasan's colleagues/seniors see his vindictive/ violent attitude that Islam is supposed to have from it's origin in him? b. How was that different from the general american mind, and how particularly was it against the members of the society? c. What is the size/ expenditure on US army? What impact shall no PC have on the civil life. Could we co-rrelate incidents in assam and kolkatta nightclubs as in Indian Army, sorry never been to US. 'Going Pc', I suggest should be the mentality, as on seeing a different person, from a different culture and values behaving differently in his own circle, we form prejudices, however friendly and socialising he might be before us.  If this is 2-wayed then we are inherently seggregationalist, else there exists a certain tone, while the newcomers might be compelled to be PC (or, camouflage, for the present), the Incumbants have no such pressure, some of them create a bias in every application discretion.............................. Isn't it then going Pc rather than a self heralded PC medal? One needs to ponder upon...... In India too Muslims suceed in ranks only if they come from special backgrounds. Should a single case, grossly understudied (As to other behavioural syntoms) be then,  used to further pressurise, no hold barred? If anyone can read Maj's mind during the Fort Hood incident. I'd be obliged from a general academic interest. We can then relate cultural Dynamics tit-bits of Islam to see to what extent was that a muslim perpretration, indeed but after that, not from a hilltop view. Regards, Subhrodip.  ________________________________ From: anupam chakravartty To: sarai list ; Kshmendra Kaul Sent: Wed, 11 November, 2009 4:48:20 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Dear Kshmendra, Varadarajan offers a conclusion that almost take me back to the times Bush era: "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it."  While Hasan's act is heinous, but I do not understand what makes Varadarajan say: "The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues." Is it really this 'dont-jump-to-conclusions" mentality responsible for this? Or is it constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/06/nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-shooting1)? -anupam On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > 'Going Muslim' > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > America after Fort Hood. > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues. > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure." > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence? > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this. > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues. > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 14 17:34:52 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:34:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Learning with Kabir: Residential Workshop for Educators, Artists and Community Workers Message-ID: Shared by Jayashree Janardhan Ashok LEARNING WITH KABIR 4-DAY RESIDENTIAL WORKSHOP FOR EDUCATORS, ARTISTS & COMMUNITY WORKERS PARTICIPANTS: 20 LANGUAGE: English & Hindi FACILITATORS: Ravi Gulati & Shabnam Virmani ORGANIZED BY: Commutiny-The Youth Collective & Kabir Project, Srishti EXPENSES: Participants would be required to fund their own travel to & from the venue. Boarding, lodging and workshop expenses are covered. (A small fund is available to cover travel costs for some participants who are unable to afford the travel). WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE & METHOD: This workshop is an exploratory initiative that seeks to create a creative and immersive experience in the poetry, music and ideas of Kabir for a group of educators, artists and community workers, with the broad objective of triggering new ideas for bringing the values and ideas of Kabir into the classrooms of this country. We are defining “classroom” in the broadest sense of the word – any setting, formal or informal, for creating learning opportunities for older children, youth and the community. During the workshop we will explore how Kabir’s poetry intersects with ideas of cultural identity, secularism, nationalism, religion, death, impermanence, folk and oral knowledge systems, music and spirituality. The method will include poems, discussions, group exercises, films, viewing relevant video footage and singing! At the end of four days, we hope to emerge with a heightened awareness of ourselves, Kabir and the possibilities of creatively communicating him to others. We expect to brainstorm and come up with concrete learning initiatives that may be distinct in different settings (regions/schools/communities), but linked to and drawing energy from each other through a network. A pan-Indian initiative to bring the voice of mystic poets into classrooms through live folk music performances may also emerge. Since each region of the country has its own tradition of mystic poetry, the voices included in such a pan-Indian program could include a range of mystic poets other than Kabir. We see this workshop as the first in a series of events & activities that will bind together a group of motivated “educators” who commit themselves, individually and collectively, to the many possibilities of Learning with Kabir. FACILITATORS: Shabnam Virmani is a filmmaker and director of the Kabir Project at Srishti, which has inquired into the living traditions and contemporary meanings of Kabir through a series of journeys over the last 6 years through films, music and books. (www.kabirproject.org) Ravi Gulati is an educator and founder of Manzil, a non-formal learning space for low-income youth in Delhi. He is also member of Commutiny - The Youth Collective, a group of progressive and like-minded individuals / organizations from across the country, who have a passion and belief in the power of young people to bring about social change (www.commutiny.in). Please write back with queries to: shabnamvirmani at gmail.com or ravi at manzil.in From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 14 17:35:53 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:35:53 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Learning with Kabir: Residential Workshop for Educators, Artists and Community Workers In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: The dates are Jan 6-9. From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sat Nov 14 19:29:50 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:59:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0911122316y8f2f2bva9b578879307b577@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <206176.38954.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Yasir   The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that they fit so often.   It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without pondering over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a plausible one at that.   It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in touch with Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with Pakistan; of Hasan  in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of Allah). Media concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that might just be innocent coincidences but makes you wonder.   Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian conspiracy.    It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the Oklahoma Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians.   As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4     Kshmendra   --- On Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر wrote: From: yasir ~يا سر Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. To: "sarai list" Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM what a stinking piece of hate this article is. an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers I'll take it as a sorting mistake. best > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > wrote: > > 'Going Muslim' > > > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > > > America after Fort Hood. > > > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon > of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" > and guns down his colleagues. > > > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we > must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we > might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the > turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly > donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort > Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to > vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow > Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and > "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not > necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the > imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding > of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory > catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a > history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" > in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his > day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli > that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the > laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious > "departure." > > > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is > that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their > identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as > a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How > to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands > of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who > are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we > continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even > though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one > group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security > problem, where we check all people--including Chinese > grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a > grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial > sense, but also in terms >  of > >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the > appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral > principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite > in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and > self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President > Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a > grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was > responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. > Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. > troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements > and apparent incompetence? > > > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that > the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have > had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab > males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as > Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which > is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of > normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is > founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for > piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as > craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no > one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with > people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration > challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of > swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how > we do this. > > > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European > countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. > But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to > view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad > trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with > his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust > doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and > not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan > variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot > dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is > an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The > Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging > about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and > yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the > "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man > killed his colleagues. > > > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the > armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members > that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of > command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department > that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for > alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of > suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to > be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a > fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at > Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > > > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Sat Nov 14 22:58:12 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:58:12 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: Fw: 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <673635.27611.qm@web94708.mail.in2.yahoo.com> References: <673635.27611.qm@web94708.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <763134.5331.qm@web94707.mail.in2.yahoo.com> ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: subhrodip sengupta To: subhrodip sengupta Sent: Sat, 14 November, 2009 10:57:32 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Ok, there exists fundamentalists, and fundamentalists in garb of religion. What particular feature in Islam makes it particularly fragile as a hideout for politically vested terrorists. Is it beacuse of nature or austerity of certain (I would like to know, what?) practices, or is it beacuse it was written in an era since when the language has different interpretations. True the way ISlamic terrorists have spread worldwide makes it a leader. Making a general claim would be like Islam preaches War on non muslims, which is dangerous. A man identifies himself as A true hindu, Muslim, Mom's son etc etcc etc. He was a SOA. May be what we might be compelled to think is what drove him to do that, and if any policy be launched on religious grounds,  how Islam, what specific lacuna exists therein was related to it, was that a preconcieved attack. Else it was a failed Intelligence responsible for a terrorist in Garb of an official. What I mean is one might keep track of what is happening without intervention. We draw Trishuls on car what is wrong with that. Or generalise, rather than suspicion and reach a decision slaying 'them' on streets. First who are 'we' and r we safe among ourselves, shall that contend us? ________________________________ From: subhrodip sengupta To: Readers list Yousuf Sarai. Cc: monica at sarai.net Sent: Sat, 14 November, 2009 4:04:04 PM Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. I dont want this edited, do not find reasons that offend any person, assosciation, or nation :).......... That part of Going PC, which I say is a reform, rather than cancer... Happened to read the archive, quite shocked. Made some fine tunings, to it. ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: subhrodip sengupta To: Readers list Yousuf Sarai. Sent: Fri, 13 November, 2009 8:41:54 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Nice piece. I have 3 questions, a. Did Hasan's colleagues/seniors see his vindictive/ violent attitude that Islam is supposed to have from it's origin in him? b. How was that different from the general american mind, and how particularly was it against the members of the society? c. What is the size/ expenditure on US army? What impact shall no PC have on the civil life. Could we co-rrelate incidents in assam and kolkatta nightclubs as in Indian Army, sorry never been to US. 'Going Pc', I suggest should be the mentality, as on seeing a different person, from a different culture and values behaving differently in his own circle, we form prejudices, however friendly and socialising he might be before us.  If this is 2-wayed then we are inherently seggregationalist, else there exists a certain tone, while the newcomers might be compelled to be PC (or, camouflage, for the present), the Incumbants have no such pressure, some of them create a bias in every application discretion.............................. Isn't it then going Pc rather than a self heralded PC medal? One needs to ponder upon...... In India too Muslims suceed in ranks only if they come from special backgrounds. Should a single case, grossly understudied (As to other behavioural syntoms) be then,  used to further pressurise, no hold barred? If anyone can read Maj's mind during the Fort Hood incident. I'd be obliged from a general academic interest. We can then relate cultural Dynamics tit-bits of Islam to see to what extent was that a muslim perpretration, indeed but after that, not from a hilltop view. Regards, Subhrodip.  ________________________________ From: anupam chakravartty To: sarai list ; Kshmendra Kaul Sent: Wed, 11 November, 2009 4:48:20 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. Dear Kshmendra, Varadarajan offers a conclusion that almost take me back to the times Bush era: "The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it."  While Hasan's act is heinous, but I do not understand what makes Varadarajan say: "The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues." Is it really this 'dont-jump-to-conclusions" mentality responsible for this? Or is it constant victimisation by his colleagues in the US Army (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/06/nidal-malik-hasan-fort-hood-shooting1)? -anupam On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > 'Going Muslim' > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 > > America after Fort Hood. > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the phenomenon of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal worker--"snaps" and guns down his colleagues. > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, one we might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe the turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects to vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his fellow Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. Hasan. > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated discarding of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not "snap" in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of his day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen broccoli that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind the laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even punctilious "departure." > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence is that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by their identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great strength as a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: How to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of thousands of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) who are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security problem, where we check all people--including Chinese grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a financial sense, but also in terms of >  the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not infinite in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, President Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of Maj. Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary statements and apparent incompetence? > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could have had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming across as Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, which is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was as craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that no one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility with people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see how we do this. > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their approach. But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a broad trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist with his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, and not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. Hasan variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem is an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. The Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; and yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man killed his colleagues. > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of the armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has to be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for opinions at Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, here.) > > http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.       The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Sun Nov 15 00:25:26 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:55:26 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] =?windows-1252?q?CSDS_Seminar_on_=93Multi-Party_dia?= =?windows-1252?q?logue_on_Political_Future_of_Jammu_=26_Kashmir=94?= In-Reply-To: <47e122a70911100622y293f8b05qdcfb71d5fa61cce6@mail.gmail.com> References: <6353c690911100142q400f6e34n37c63b6f26ee1ba8@mail.gmail.com>, <6353c690911100202y5244197dnd0c9c6f9c33bfd18@mail.gmail.com>, <47e122a70911100622y293f8b05qdcfb71d5fa61cce6@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: It is inexplicable that a sensitive artist –the author of such an moving installation ‘I am neither there nor here’ or who is so moved by the mauling of a pigeon by a cat, should be singing paeans in favour of a terror commander who continues to feel proud (& also declare it publicly) of having initiated terrorism in Kashmir. If rigged elections could be justified as motive enough to trigger Islamic insurgency in Kashmir then West Bengal; Bihar ;UP & many other states that witness booth capturing & bogus voting even now should have been in the state of perpetual civil war ever since the first election in India were held. If any thing, the self proclaimed civil society gave him a face saving (to a terrorist..??...) & only facilitated a political make over of the terror commander who had lost his cadre in the internecine war with his adversaries who were then being promoted by Pakistan after having dumped JKLF. It is a shame that the man who should be tried for crimes against humanity for having plunged Kashmir in to bloody chaos is offered a political platform. And this can happen only in India – as against carpet bombings, drone attacks (as in Pakistan) we offer parleys to terror commanders seeking ‘azadi –bara-e- Islam’ . True, Kashmiri Hindu Pandits have failed to secure support from the civil society only because the so called civil society chose to ignore their ‘ethnic cleansing at the hands of the jihadis in the valley. It is a pity that compulsive peaceniks like veteran Kuldip Nayar a known sympathiser of the Kashmiri separatists prefers to lament that the possibility of ‘Pandits’ return to the valley was now remote in view of the fact that Islamisation of Kashmir had lead to the demise of Kashmiriyat in Kashmir, now in ‘Dawn’( Oct,23…if I’m not mistaken). But when the Kashmiri Hindus were being hounded out he & his ilk (BG Varghese still refuses to admit that Kashmir was a pan Islamic issue- you heard that at the event) just ignored the pleas of the Pandits then.(You could also check on Oct.23rd, Khaleej Times for Ayaaz Amir describing the jihadis that Pakistan is fighting now as the ‘battle hardened’ ones who took on the mighty Indian army . Yet there was neither carpet bombing nor any drone attacks in Kashmir- instead an unrepentant terror commander is offered a platform to brazenly proclaim his admiration for terrorism amidst who is who of the civil society ) . This is no news Sir, media callousness towards the plight of Pandits is no new thing- we have no lobbyists; no PR agencies; no NGO’s; no professional propagandists; no devout film makers to mobilise support in our favour. If the central Govt. failed to try the mass murderer who publicly claimed having butchered dozens (Beg claimed a figure of 43) of innocent Kashmiri Hindu Pandits at the behest of his JKLF bosses what did Beg himself as the Deputy CM or his boss Mufty Sayaad do to apprehend this mass murderer. In fact it was during their regime this mass murderer who now heads one of the factions of JKLF was accorded public reception in Srinagar after the ‘release’. It wont’ surprise Kashmiri Hindu Pandits at all if the civil society gets this mass murder on board & Muzaffar Beg is seen confabulating with him on the future of Kashmir. It is sad that you overlooked how Kashmiri Pandit representatives were denied their right to put forth their point of view. How could you ignore that while a definite wedge was sought to be drawn amongst Buddhists & Muslims of Ladakh (hitherto untouched by the secessionist violence) without any interruption, a huge uproar greeted Kashmiri Hindu pandits when they attempted to speak about their plight. You fascination for Ms. Mufty also generates interest – rather curiosity. Some body should tell her that the route to her cherished Central Asia passes through the ‘hell’ called Af-Pak & today she must be the only one wishing to go on a trip on this route (NC may most willingly organise a trip for her-is Omar listening..??..). And about this plea of divided families is over exaggerated in terms of Kashmir. What about the divided families of UP & Bihar- there must be many more divided families in Meerut alone than in whole of J&K. That also brings forth something that is not being given any consideration & that is about the likely consequences that could affect the fragile inter communal relationship in rest of India if there was any change in the present status of the Kashmir vis- a- vis the Indian union. Regards all LA ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:52:19 +0530 > From: indersalim at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] CSDS Seminar on “Multi-Party dialogue on Political Future of Jammu & Kashmir” > > SOME COMMENTS ON THE SEMINAR > > 1. Not a single soul in the entire gatheraing dared to touch the > question ; WHY ELECTIONS WERE RIGGED IN KASHMIR which resulted in the > Armed struggle ( Ironically, the same two parites are ruling right now > ) . It goes to the credit of Yasin Malik to identify himself with > Gandhi in Kashmir where there is not a single soul ready to touch > anthing that is Indian. Yasin, the Star of the evening, spoke bluntly > about the failture of Indian Civil Society which ' cheated' him and > his party for surrendering guns in exchange of kashmir solution, which > never happned. He declared that he would abandon politics the day > Kashmir issue is resolved. > > 2. Muzaffar Beig ( PDP ) represented Kashmiri Pandits quite fairly, > and they should learn how to project their case. On their own, without > a competent Vakil/advocate, they look only noisy young boys, and not > surprising that even newspapers ignored to report their protest. > > 3. No Indian in the gathering had guts to answer to Mr. Beig's > question that why Bitte Karatte , who confessed having killed 43 KPs' > is roaming free? > > 4. Panun Kashmir representative Mr. Manwati forgot to talk about what > Panun Kashmir demands are. > > 5. Mehbooba Mufi sucessfully pointed out how Kashmir was cut from the > rest of the world by linking it with it India through Jawahar Tunnel. > Whatever the reasons, Kashmiris deserve to use the roads that were > functional for thouands of years. Mehbooba pulled the leg of NC ( > Sheikh Mohd Abudullah) by pointed that they too have commited > mistakes in Jammu during 1953 elections which resulted into Hindu Maha > Sabha hardline. > > 6. Sanjay Tickoo ( representative of KP non-Migrant lot ) pointed out > that how loads of buses, and metadors were able to cross the LOC > during 89-1990. authentic sources signal strongly that India always > knew what is happening in Kashmir but allowed . He, expressed pain on > the suffereings of Kashmiri pandits and Kashmiri muslims in a single > breath, which other RIK representatives ignored. > > 7. Representatives from Leh and Kargil spoke about the absence of > monolithic notions of existing socities in these regions. But demaned > more power sharing. > > 8.Ms Elora from Jammu complained about the monoply of Kashmir over the > rest of two regions, and demanded some internal authonomy within the > J&K state for three regions:Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir. > > 9. Tahir Khurshid Raina of Rajouri Poonch spoke about his region, > where Partition really was experienced and where people still are > divided across the line, and which remains the most underdeveloped > area in J&K. So, in comparision to Jammu region it is a lesser > Dalit. > > 10. Madhu Kishwar managed it gracefully > > > > > > > On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 3:32 PM, Aditya Raj Kaul > wrote: > > CSDS Seminar on “Multi-Party dialogue on Political Future of Jammu & > > Kashmir” > > > > Link - > > http://kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/2009/11/csds-seminar-on-multi-party-dialogue-on.html > > > > I have a Maths test on Wednesday but I just can’t study. My mind refuses to > > concentrate. Two years ago, when Rashneek bhaiya made me write a speech for > > World Refugee Day, he said that Kashmiri Pandits were viewed as ‘collateral > > damage’ of the Kashmir issue by ‘intellectuals’. I understood what he meant > > but never really faced this harsh reality head on. Yesterday, as I listened > > to leader after leader talk, I understood how insignificant we actually > > were to the ‘main issue’. > > > > I came to Teen Murti in time only for the post-lunch session. I can only > > give you a brief summary of the first session (garnered from various > > sources). Abdul Ghani Bhat talked the usual about dialogue between India, > > Pakistan and Kashmir for peace and reconciliation. Muzzafar Baig accepted > > that Kashmiri leaders had time and again sold their conscience to India and > > Pakistan to remain in power. On the subject of Kashmiri Pandits, he said > > that all Kashmiri leaders wanted the safe return of KPs to Kashmir. He also > > said that his mother still cried, on remembering their KP friends and > > neighbors. Shafi Uri of NC talked about the NC’s willingness to negotiate > > with PDP and other parties on the autonomy document presented by NC in July > > 2000. Balbir Punj and Tarun Vijay demanded the removal of Article 370. > > > > The post-lunch session started with Madhu Kishwar of CSDS calling everybody > > for a group photo with Yasin Malik; Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir was the > > only person who refused to be part of the photo. Kishwar then announced that > > Ram Jethmalani had to attend a press conference at his residence and so > > would absent himself for some time. Jethmalani started the parting message > > by holding Yasin Malik’s hand (YM had come straight from the Jammu TADA > > court, where his presence was needed in the Rubbaiya Sayeed kidnapping case, > > and was seated beside him) and welcoming his ‘dear friend and honored > > guest’. Importantly, he mentioned that the problem in Kashmir started due to > > the coincidence of two events happening together. First, the Russians left > > Afghanistan and the terrorists in Kabul became ‘unemployed’, and second, > > India started rigging elections in Kashmir. He also said that it was the > > highest virtue of an Indian to love Pakistan, and that the entire discussion > > should be in the spirit of ‘love and affection’. After he left, Ellora Puri > > from Jammu talked of how it had always been ignored that the state was > > actually made of three geographically and culturally distinct regions of > > Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. She proposed a federal system within the state, > > with the three regions having three separate ‘councils’. > > > > After her, Sanjay Tickoo of Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (representing > > KPs who were still living in Kashmir for these 20 years) spoke. He first > > wanted to discount the notion that KPs fled because the then Governor > > Jagmohan told them to do so, quoting that in 1998, there were 19,000 KPs in > > Kashmir, whereas in 2008, there were only about 3000. This proved that > > conditions in Kashmir were far from being conducive to their return. He also > > demanded a “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” to be set up by the Indian > > Parliament where the different stake-holders could voice their grievances > > and demands. Ramesh Manwati of Panun Kashmir showed a report published in a > > national daily in which the government had placed “Relief and Rehabilitation > > of Kashmiri Pandits” under the topic of Animal Husbandry. That aside, he > > talked a little about the concept of Panun Kashmir. He also talked about how > > 150 temples that had been desecrated and demolished in 1990 and blamed the > > media, civil society and HR groups for turning a blind eye to the plight of > > KPs. I personally thought that both speakers could not manage to convey > > either the past or the future in the right perspective, but it is pertinent > > to note that Madhu Kishwar interrupted both their speeches about 2-3 times, > > chiding them like recalcitrant children whenever they even mentioned 1990. > > We were expected to forget everything and start afresh. There really wasn’t > > any time for telling reality to the world. We were asked to make “tall > > demands” of the future. I know that rationally we should do that, and to an > > extent, we did do that too. What infuriated me was that only we were > > admonished for speaking about the old truth. Mehbooba Mufti went on and on > > about Kashmir being a “chota Iran” and how Accession to India had isolated > > Kashmir from the rest of Central Asia and West Asia. (The main point of her > > talk was more like propagating PDP’s agenda – she kept asking if India was > > ready to trust Kashmiris and uniting the 'two Kashmirs' - PoK and IK). There > > was a Mr. Tahir Khurshid Raina (Mr. Three-In-One – Rajouri and Poonch > > representative cum PDP member cum Yasin Malik supporter) who talked about > > how war had ravaged Rajouri and Poonch and how all these years they had few > > basic facilities. Yasin Malik went on to give the entire history (read: > > justification) behind his proud taking up of arms (reiterating that it was > > not an unemployment issue at all). But no, Madhu Kishwar did not have the > > guts or the rather the inclination to stop them and ask them to talk about > > the future. Only we were supposed to listen and digest. > > > > I know we haven’t been the only sufferers – far from it. But I believe that > > if you remove KPs from the context of the Kashmir problem – it becomes a > > clear case for YM’s ‘freedom struggle’. I don’t pretend to know much about > > the workings of Kashmiri politics but to an outsider, ignorant of the ethnic > > cleansing in 1989-90, there would be little wrong in YM’s story (which he > > skillfully recited yesterday) of 3rd degree torture from Indian authorities, > > leading to ‘armed struggle’, leading to jail and finally “Gandhian > > enlightenment”. He was ‘forced’ to pick up arms and then by the strength of > > his character and the overwhelming sentiment of ‘azadi’ in Kashmir, he chose > > to become non-violent (despite seeing ‘600’ of his ‘friends and followers’ > > dead after coming out from jail). The intellectuals present yesterday knew > > both of our displacement and the ‘armed struggle’ but chose, peacefully, to > > keep them separate. They didn’t, of course, have any explanation for the > > former. It just happened. And now Kashmiri Pandits needed to go back to > > Kashmir to reverse history and show that everything was normal. As simple as > > that. As moral, just and enlightened citizens they needed to support the > > Kashmiris’ right to independence, even if it meant listening to YM saying > > that he had defeated India militarily, mentally, culturally and spiritually. > > When Madhu Kishwar showed some sense by asking YM how practical his notion > > of azadi was, Ram Jethmalani cut her short and said that he found no problem > > whatsoever with YM’s proposal. > > > > When YM was announced as a speaker, I had thought that we would pounce on > > him during or after his speech with questions. Then Sushilji got up to > > protest his presence, as a murderer and a rapist. Once it started, we didn’t > > back off. The astounding part was how everybody in the room thought that we > > were irrational liars. They welcomed and pleaded him to continue while > > admonishing us for not listening to him. He talked about how the problem > > between KPs and KMs was essentially a “power struggle”, not a communal one. > > The educated Pandits got insecure of the increasing power with the poor, > > uneducated Muslims and hence the trouble. He said that he had visited > > refugee camps in Jammu, and commiserated with the old ladies there; he had > > the guts to quote a “sher” from Lal Ded. Better still, he said that in KPs, > > India had found a “weeping boy” for Geneva. Madhu Kishwar and Ram Jethmalani > > said nothing at all on this and instead scolded the PK representative who > > raised an objection. I asked YM to shut up on this topic at least; he didn’t > > have the right to talk about Kashmiri Pandits from his bloody mouth. When > > Sushilji asked for permission to ask a question, Jethmalani said that he > > could ask only if he promised to speak in the spirit of “love and > > affection”. Love and affection to your killers! Of the two questions > > Sushilji asked, only one was permitted – that of how YM could say that all > > KMs had left arms when Let and Hizbul Mujahideen continued to operate. The > > second and more important one, about just how YM could compare himself with > > Gandhi when he and JKLF had killed so many unarmed, innocent women and > > children was promptly and completely ignored. We were largely seen as > > deranged communalists shouting at a hero for no good reason. > > > > When Mehbooba Mufti and Yasin Malik were speaking I really felt like we were > > banging our heads against stone walls who would never listen. It was > > suffocating. They had thrown us out of Kashmir and consequently we were left > > with no say in the ‘current problem’ of Kashmir. We were an ugly face of > > history that nobody wanted to recall, because we just didn’t fit in. Today, > > as I scoured newspapers, both online and paper, to see if anybody had > > reported us, I was shown the raw truth. The news people had got their quotes > > from YM, Abdul Ghani Bhat, Baig, Mehbooba Mufti and Jethmalani. We had given > > pamphlets to people explaining why we were protesting against YM but still > > we were only mentioned in one-liners as disrupters of YM’s speech. Nothing > > else. Regardless of the cries of rehabilitation and relief – succor for the > > past in the future – there was after all nothing in the present. Nobody > > wanted to talk about collateral damage. In the end, Muzaffar Baig, the man > > who ignited the Amarnath agitation by talking of “demographic” changes in > > Kashmir due to settlements for Amarnath pilgrims, showed why he was a > > successful politician. He talked about things I thought only we could > > understand – he talked about Kashmiri Pandits as a unique unit of > > civilization; he talked about how individual successes aside, the loss of > > homeland would always be irreparable. > > The program ended there. Baig had said the right things; Madhu Kishwar > > volunteered to hold a signature campaign for the Truth and Reconciliation > > Commission and also arrange for a private conference between Baig and KPs. > > > > Words… > > > > I only hope that we ‘heckled’ YM enough for the time being. > > > > A piece by a 16 year old displaced Kashmiri girl Radhika Kaul. > > > > regards > > Aditya Raj Kaul > > > > > > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From indersalim at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 01:40:21 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:40:21 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Invitation for Discussion on Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue In-Reply-To: <677268.29218.qm@web31809.mail.mud.yahoo.com> References: <677268.29218.qm@web31809.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70911141210o167adc92u88432c81fb68e082@mail.gmail.com> 1. A little working parody to understand Kashmir: ‘I went to terrorism, as to the liberation as to the light’ I quote, Jean Genet. “ I went to Theft, as to the Liberation, as to the Light “ J.P.Sartre saw a saint in Genet, and I guess he indeed was. Genet supported Palestinian Armed struggled, but declared with clarity that his support is not for another bureaucracy, another Army, another state with another boarder for other humanity to stop from entering into it. He supported Black Panthers in America for their underground struggle against the White Racist Politics. His own grave is somewhere in Morocco. He had no address, no home, no relatives, but too much of love in his heart. Love of higher order indeed. This way, Genet’s Palestine was not limited to Palestine only, but it spilled like fragrance beyond that piece of land. So, can we see Kashmir issue too turning into another Palestine issue beyond mere physical volume of Kashmir Issue. Can we see Kashmir issue beyond history even, beyond written references and paper work, accessions, and endless debates emerging out of that. can we have some alternative approach to this... Genet himself was the product of ‘ghettoized’ life in France: a liberated, egalitarian, democratic and free France. He was illegitimate and had no place to go, but lived in a French social reform-centre which was a factory to make thieves, pimps etc from homeless children in France. In his book, Miracle of the Rose, Genet praised his friend who killed a guard in the Prison. The convict was guillotined later, but he saw him fainting like a woman, on the day his hair was cut before execution. Genet saw a prophet in him. A martyr in other sense, for whom we can not have a shrine in any system of committed worshipers, but Genet seemed to elevate characters like him to the status of a Saint. He, himself saw very ordinary ‘planner’, in comparison to a ‘ crasher’ ,until Sartre wrote a 600 page book on him: Saint Genet. Kashmir, Palestine, and now Afghanistan and Swat like areas too are perhaps products of a ‘ghettoized’ life forced on them by superior powers. Kashmir may be not a ghettoized place if ,we search literal meaning in it, but politically, yes. Kashmir too looked for an identity of its own which was denied by Afghans, by Mughals by Dogras, by British, and then finally by the state of India. The entire kashmiri population ( minus a miniscule minority ) questioned the merger of valley with rest of India. One such was, for example, Ghulam Nabi Gilkar . I read on him in a essay from book BOUQUET: a tribute to unsung heroes of kashmir, by JKCCS) which becomes a case in the point to understand how such a ‘ghettoized’ life can gift an identity crises to a normal human being, who was jailed by both Pakistanis in POK and by Indians in IOK. The essay rightly deconstructs some heroic sheen from Sheikh Abdullah, who perhaps ditiched him, but it is too quickly written piece on a hero called GN Gilkar. One can see, some Rosy Fragrance coming out of his grave in POK, which is similar to one coming out of dead Mujaheedeen homes who died fighting Americans in Afganistan, as we read in Landscapes of Jihad by Faizal Devi Ji’s book. Recently, Yasin Malik rightly pointed out in Delhi that Kashmir has no beggers , but why all Kashmiris dislike India, in spite of the fact that so much money is being pumped in the valley. Is it somehow similar to France which once maintained reform centres for orphans, which only produced criminals. The criminals who were proud of their violent activities, murder, rape and what not. Has ‘ ghettoization of Kashmir,too, here, in political sense, produced freedom fighters called terrorists who justify killing, of not only Indian security forces, but anybody whom they feel are an impediment to their cause. Islamisation is a term invented by the west, like we have terms for criminals, and nothing for those who loot oil, land and other resources from the others.... While reading Genet, one comes across stories which narrate the changing pattern of thieves, pimps and other such elements. Some of them indeed want to settle down and live an domestic life ( so called normal ), which becomes a challenge for them. For their second half time of life, they produce different set of rules to fit in a society as well as identifying themselves with their first half of life, which was explicitly criminal once. A differnet imbalance sets in, as i have recently posted about two friends ( one hindu and other muslim ) who met after a while and victimized a woman, unwittingly. So we hear, amazing stories from French Reform centres and how characters develop into full fledged criminals, and also stories from Kashmir about how these ghettoized people narrate their pasts and betrayls even. In Delhi, Teen Murti, no one could answer Yasin Malik that why he was arrested in pre 90 election when elections were openly rigged by Indian State in collaboration with local partiies there. He openly blamed the civil society for his surrendering of armed struggle. He used the word ‘ cheat’. He is a character from Genet, if seen politically. Reading Genet one can see how characters use all the systems of thought to overcome their past, but cant get rid of their ghettoized tag. A Kashmiri is a Kashmiri, a muslim is a muslim etc. Yasin Malik rightly pointed out that how power struggle guided Kashmiri Pandits to look towards Delhi, when Muslims in the valley started getting educated. It is not about religion then, he pointed out. 2. ‘Global’ is a handy term which is not limited to commerce only but also to other spheres of life. All the political conflicts are in fact global in nature, although they tend to concern few of that region in the first place, but a deeper understanding on how realities are interconnected which marks every soul on this earth in a single unique way. Perhaps, things are moving at a very different pace than we realize in actuality. For example, internet itself has mingled with our banking, media, and even marriages are fixed or unfixed through net. ‘ Internet is not a spectacle’ I quote Jacques Ranciere, and to say so, he perhaps, meant that a huge civil society and its operative mechanisms have merged its genetic fibre with the digital wave. So take it more seriously. So, what about political debates being settled on the Net Itself, similar to the one which was held at Teen Murti ( Nehru Memorial New Delhi ) couple of days back: POLITICAL FUTURE OF KASHMIR, or even now organized by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) in Sringar Kashmir itself. Not that face to face things consume lot of time and energy and deliver very little, ( to become tamasha in the end, as Yasin Malik pointed out ) but other means of communication at the same time have become too, but some of them cost effective in the least, and so need to be considered as vital tools to settle conflicts. So both things do exist. 3. Khurram Parvez’s invite on the List for the debate on Kashmir issue was followed by Sonia Jabbar’s forward on Govt Report: Land Reform. In a deeper way I find both these post interconnected. This blend of thought is happening now, and which if taken seriously can lead us to actual sustainability on the earth. Both the issues are about land. Kashmir was a piece of land for Hari Singh’s grandfather who bought it for 7.5 million rupees, which has snowballed into this Kashmir issue with LoC between two Nuclear States. On the other hand, Corporate Networking is hell bent to own the land which belongs to poor and indigenous people of this earth and the partners in their fight against the very poor is the State. Dont we know how land lords are always been critical with polticial struggles. They like stats quoes, They like fencing, walls and laws.... In Kashmir it has taken the shape of a political ‘tamasha’ ( spectacle) between those who want just settlement of the issue and those who think Satus Quo is the last word. In North Eastern Regions, we have State’s Salwa Judam+security forces and Maoists+people for just solution of the land problem which the state thinks is right in dealing with so called menace. The state has no mechanism but sheer power to deal with these issues. So another ‘ ghettoized’ life is emerging with vengeance. Genet was right, but now it looks violence is helping the State to crush the dissent more ruthlessly. sad . Sad, no solution are in sight With love and regards Inder salim On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 5:46 PM, Khurram Parvez wrote: > > Dear Friends, > > > Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) cordially invites you to participate in a discussion, “Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue”. > > The programme will be held at: > Hotel Grand Mumtaz > 11 Maulana Azad Road , Srinagar > Phone: 2450281/2452548 > > The programme will be convened on: > Sunday 15th November 2009 at 01:00 p.m. > > The aim of the > program is to discuss civil society concerns about the expected > dialogue between what the Indian state calls “all stakeholders” in > Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi . It is of paramount importance that > the content of this dialogue is clearly understood among the civil > society, the primary stakeholders in any such process that embarks upon > determining the political status of a people.             Dialogue by its > very nature is between two equal stakeholders. The stakeholders as far > as the Indian pronouncements are concerned are not clearly defined at > all. Indian Prime Minister has already made government of India ’s > agenda about the Kashmir dialogue clear. New Delhi is entering the > dialogue for “final reconciliation so that peace can be achieved for > development and reconstruction” in Jammu and Kashmir . > In this program > we would like to facilitate a discussion on the below mentioned > concerns about the objectives and possible directions of this fresh > engagement with New Delhi that is most likely to begin soon. > > Clear acknowledgement of people’s liberation > struggle in its true historical perspective should be the basis of > initiating any kind of talks/dialogue.Indian state is talking in contradictory terms. > Its army commanders are labeling street protests as terrorism and > vowing not to leave the civilian areas, while its home minister is > talking about a “unique political solution for Jammu and Kashmir .” > Besides India has not reviewed its arbitrary constitutional position on > Kashmir .Who is going to talk to whom? If the stakeholders > include pro-India participatory parties like the PDP and NC, who are > already wedded to accession of J&K to India , then what is there to > negotiate about? Should leaders who represent resistance to Indian rule > in J&K agree to be equals in a dialogue with those who have carried > forward Indian policies in the disputed region since its existence? If > so, then the dialogue is about administrative matters, transfer/sharing > of power, Indian security concerns and not about determining the > political status/sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir . What is the negotiating position that a section > of Kashmir resistance leaders are taking to the table? Will the > dialogue be guided by the principle of right to self determination? The political struggle in Jammu & Kashmir has > been against Indian rule. Are those who would enter a dialogue with New > Delhi going to talk about disengagement with India in any other form > than the right of self determination? The Indian Home Minister does not have the > authority to discuss sovereignty. Can he be accepted as New Delhi ’s > interlocutor in any dialogue for the final status of Jammu & > Kashmir? The agenda and format of the dialogue for political rights must be transparent and made public.If and when any conclusions are agreed upon > between the parties, how is the agreement proposed to be put to public > vote in order for it to be democratically endorsed by the people – the > primary stakeholders? And, how would the condition on ground be made conducive for that endorsement to materialize?Will this talks/dialogue process dilute the international character of the Kashmir issue. > > It is also > proposed that at the end of this discussion we would reach a consensus > about civil society questions to and demands from those leaders who may > go to the negotiating table with New Delhi representing us. > > Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any clarification or further information. > > We are looking forward to your participation. > > Thank you, > > Program Coordinator > Khurram Parvez > Mobile : 9419013553 > Email: kparvez at kashmirprocess.org > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From anivar at movingrepublic.org Sun Nov 15 11:51:21 2009 From: anivar at movingrepublic.org (Anivar Aravind) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:21:21 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Appeal letter for ANTI-POSCO RALLY : Don't Steal in the name of steel In-Reply-To: <46601a350911142048s7ab7bd2ftbfd466090e4e52f@mail.gmail.com> References: <46601a350911142048s7ab7bd2ftbfd466090e4e52f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <46601a350911142221m44b6638bwe2ea823ea6026039@mail.gmail.com> ==AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY == PARADEEP TO PURI: THE PADYATRA AGAINST PREDATORY CORPORATIONS Orissa, the ancient land of Kalinga, has been under attack in recent years in a way not seen since over two thousand years ago when King Ashoka’s army laid waste to the region. This time the marauders are large corporations, both domestic and foreign, preying upon the province’s vast natural resources, among them - iron ore, bauxite, plentiful water, fertile agriculture lands and marine wealth. The net impact of this capitalist assault, promoted in the name of ‘development’ by both the Central and Orissa governments, is obvious. Investments in the mining industry, steel plants, captive power stations and ports are meant to give huge profits to corporations and some corrupt politicians/parties while displacing thousands and thousands of people from their land, houses, livelihoods and destroying their culture and environment. The resistance to all this planned plunder has also been very strong be it the anti-POSCO movement in Erasama, anti-Vedanta movement in Puri and Lanjigarh, the anti-Tata movement in Kalinganagar and Naraj, the farmers’ movement in Hirakud , anti- UAIL movement in Kashipur, anti-Mittal movement in Keonjhar, anti-Bhusan, anti-Sterlite, anti-Reliance or anti-dam movement in Lower Sutkel area  - everywhere people are in struggles. In response to all these protests the UPA government in New Delhi and the Orissa Government have renewed their campaign to use brutal force to compel people to vacate their ancestral lands in the proposed POSCO and Vedanta project areas. The Indian government has invited the South Korean President as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebration on 26 January 2010 and planned his visit to the proposed POSCO plant area. This is like an open challenge to the people in POSCO site area struggling to save their ancestral lands. With a purpose to create awareness among the people, to involve them and to unite all the movements along the Orissa coastline from Paradip to Puri, a Mass Rally or Padyatra has been planned by the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS) along with various movements and people. The Mass Rally, of over 2000 people will walk through 120 villages of seven blocks namely Erasama, Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur District and Astaranga, Kaktpur, Gop, Puri Sadar, Puri covering 150 kilometres. The Rally will start from Dhinkia village on 29th November 2009 and culminate at Puri on 5th December 2009 with a massive protest meeting. Along the Padyatra’s route, public meetings will be organized as follows:-  1. 29th November at 4 PM at Erasama  2. 30th November at 4 PM at naharana  3. 1st December at 4 PM at Kakatpur  4. 2nd December at 4 PM at Astaranga  5. 3rd December at 4 PM at Gop  6. 4th December at 4 PM at Puri Sadar  7. 5th December at 2 PM at Puri ==Demands:==  1. Scrap all plans and projects meant for capitalistic investments in coastal zones  2. Stop anti-people and involuntary displacements  3. Stop industrialization at the cost of agriculture and food security of millions of people  4. Promote people-centered and agro-based industries in place of corporate friendly mining and other industries  5. Make necessary regulations to protect and preserve the water, forests, lands, ecology and livelihoods of local people and empower them to own and manage their resources and livelihoods  6. Scrap the Special Economic Zones and withdraw the corresponding Acts and Orders  7. Stop all kinds of violence committed directly or indirectly by corporations against people  8. Refrain from all kinds of repression against democratic people’s movements and human rights activists  9. Protect the coast upto 1 kilometre from the sea to prevent any ecologically  harmful activities  10. Desist from handing over natural resources into the hands of private companies  11. Promote people-centered developmental models ==Participants:== The participants in the Padyatra will include villagers from  Paradip to Puri, representatives of various people’s movements, Left and democratic parties, supporters from various parts of the country, cultural troupes, intellectuals, writers, artists and activists. ==How to Get There:== Interested participants should arrive at Dhinkia village by 28th evening. One can travel by Train from Cuttack or Bhubaneswar via Trains running to Paradip and get down at Badabandha Station. From here Dhinkia is 6 kilometres. Auto rickshaws are available here. By bus one can come from Bhubaneswar/Cuttack running towards Paradip and get down at Balitutha. APPEAL: We appeal you to participate in the Rally and contribute whatever you can against the requirements mentioned below:   * 10000 Posters   * 20000 Leaflets   * 500 Banners/Festoons   * 500 Placards   * 8 Vehicles   * 5 mikes with generators   * Medical Team with First Aid requisites   * Water Tank   * Tents   * Lunch, dinner and Breakfast for 2000 people for 8 days   * 250 Uniforms/T-Shirts/ Caps/badges for front-line youth volunteers   * Video documentation   * Film shows – equipment and videos   * Accompanying cultural troupes Contact Abhay Sahau ( Chairperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) 09861501265 Prasanth Paikare (Spokesperson Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) 09437571547 -- Anivar Aravind From anivar at movingrepublic.org Sun Nov 15 12:09:48 2009 From: anivar at movingrepublic.org (Anivar Aravind) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:39:48 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Appeal letter for ANTI-POSCO RALLY : Dont Steal in the name of Steel In-Reply-To: <35f96d470911142214n23cb8bc1g4811e6440f849976@mail.gmail.com> References: <35f96d470911142214n23cb8bc1g4811e6440f849976@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <35f96d470911142239k45fb1235m2b079b1f5ae57f1e@mail.gmail.com> ==AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY == PARADEEP TO PURI: THE PADYATRA AGAINST PREDATORY CORPORATIONS Orissa, the ancient land of Kalinga, has been under attack in recent years in a way not seen since over two thousand years ago when King Ashoka’s army laid waste to the region. This time the marauders are large corporations, both domestic and foreign, preying upon the province’s vast natural resources, among them - iron ore, bauxite, plentiful water, fertile agricultural lands and marine wealth. The net impact of this capitalist assault, promoted in the name of ‘development’ by both the Central and Orissa governments, is obvious. Investments in the mining industry, steel plants, captive power stations and ports are meant to give huge profits to corporations and some corrupt politicians/parties while displacing thousands and thousands of people from their land, houses, livelihoods and destroying their culture and environment. The resistance to all this planned plunder has also been very strong be it the anti-POSCO movement in Erasama, anti-Vedanta movement in Puri and Lanjigarh, the anti-Tata movement in Kalinganagar and Naraj, the farmers’ movement in Hirakud , anti- UAIL movement in Kashipur, anti-Mittal movement in Keonjhar, anti-Bhusan, anti-Sterlite, anti-Reliance or anti-dam movement in Lower Sutkel area  - everywhere people are in struggles. In response to all these protests the UPA government in New Delhi and the Orissa Government have renewed their campaign to use brutal force to compel people to vacate their ancestral lands in the proposed POSCO and Vedanta project areas. The Indian government has invited the South Korean President as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebration on 26 January 2010 and planned his visit to the proposed POSCO plant area. This is like an open challenge to the people in POSCO site area struggling to save their ancestral lands. With a purpose to create awareness among the people, to involve them and to unite all the movements along the Orissa coastline from Paradip to Puri, a Mass Rally or Padyatra has been planned by the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS) along with various movements and people. The Mass Rally, of over 2000 people will walk through 120 villages of seven blocks namely Erasama, Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur District and Astaranga, Kaktpur, Gop, Puri Sadar, Puri covering 150 kilometres. The Rally will start from Dhinkia village on 29th November 2009 and culminate at Puri on 5th December 2009 with a massive protest meeting. Along the Padyatra’s route, public meetings will be organized as follows:-  1. 29th November at 4 PM at Erasama  2. 30th November at 4 PM at naharana  3. 1st December at 4 PM at Kakatpur  4. 2nd December at 4 PM at Astaranga  5. 3rd December at 4 PM at Gop  6. 4th December at 4 PM at Puri Sadar  7. 5th December at 2 PM at Puri ==Demands:==  1. Scrap all plans and projects meant for capitalistic investments and exploitations in coastal zones  2. Stop anti-people and involuntary displacements  3. Stop industrialization at the cost of agriculture and food security of millions of people  4. Promote people-centered and agro-based industries in place of corporate friendly mining and other industries  5. Make necessary regulations to protect and preserve the water, forests, lands, ecology and livelihoods of local people and empower them to own and manage their resources and livelihoods  6. Scrap the Special Economic Zones and withdraw the corresponding Acts and Orders  7. Stop all kinds of violence committed directly or indirectly by corporations against people  8. Refrain from all kinds of repression against democratic people’s movements and human rights activists  9. Protect the coast up to 1 kilometer from the sea to prevent any ecologically harmful activities  10. Desist from handing over natural resources into the hands of private companies  11. Promote people-centered, non-exploitative and non-extractive developmental models ==Participants== The participants in the Padyatra will include villagers from  Paradip to Puri, representatives of various people’s movements, left and democratic parties, supporters from various parts of the country, cultural troupes, intellectuals, writers, artists and activists. ==How to Get There == Interested participants should arrive at Dhinkia village by 28th evening. One can travel by Train from Cuttack or Bhubaneswar via Trains running to Paradip and get down at Badabandha Station. From here Dhinkia is 6 kilometres. Auto rickshaws are available here. By bus one can come from Bhubaneswar/Cuttack running towards Paradip and get down at Balitutha. APPEAL: We appeal you to participate in the Rally and contribute whatever you can against the requirements mentioned below:   * 10000 Posters   * 20000 Leaflets   * 500 Banners/Festoons   * 500 Placards   * 8 Vehicles for 8-days   * 5 mikes with generators for  8-days   * Medical Team with First Aid requisites   * Water Tank for 8 days   * Tents for  8 days   * Lunch, dinner and Breakfast for 2000 people for 8 days   * 250 Uniforms/T-Shirts/ Caps/badges for front-line youth volunteers   * Video documentation   * Film shows – equipment and videos   * Accompanying cultural troupes Abhay Sahu Chairperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti, Cell No. – 09861501265 Prasant Paikray Spokesperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) Cell - 09437571547 Email: prashantpaikray at gmail.com -- Anivar Aravind From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Mon Nov 16 13:45:28 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (media/art/cologne) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:15:28 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?Taboo!_Taboo=3F_-_CologneOFF_V_launc?= =?iso-8859-1?q?hed?= Message-ID: <20091116091528.E1364724.C3E677B9@192.168.0.3> Taboo! Taboo? CologneOFFV - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival was launched on 13 November 2009 online! The 5th edition of CologneOFF stands under the thematic aspect of "Taboo", going down to the question of whether "taboo" lost its relevance in the contemporary societies as an instrument of moral and social ruling or not at all. The selected festival films spotlight that each one in different ways motivating the viewer to reflect and find individual definitions. Founded in 2006 by VideoChannel Cologne, CologneOFF is a new type of film and video festival taking place simultaneously online and in physical space via cooperating festival partners. Focussed on art forms of film and video , and differently than other festivals, the launch does not represent the temporary presentation for two or more days, also not the end of the festival, but its start. In this way, the previous festival editions are also still active, while once a year in autumn a new festival edition enters the stage. In 2009, CologneOFF V starts together with Microwave - New Media Arts Festival Hong-Kong - 13 Nov-11 Dec 2009 and Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal - 14 Nov '09 - 03 Jan '10 the two first festival partners in a series of physical manifestations in 2009 and 2010. CologneOFF V contains of 5 festival programs including 50 films in 3 international sections, 14 art videos from Germany and 14 One Minute Films selected by the guest curator Ali Zaidi (Motiroti/London). The festival catalogue is available as PDF for free download http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf CologneOFF V is featuring films by following artists/directors 1. Karlos Alastruey - Ascan Breuer - Marita Contreras - Jym Davis - Frank Gatti Heidi Kumao - Les Riches Dounaniers - Alex Lora - Ulf Kristiansen - Casey McKee Marianna and Daniel O’Reilly - Soumendra Padhi - Margarida Paiva - Erika Yeomans Ioannis Roumeliotis - Boris Sribar - Alysse Stepanian - Masha Yozefpolsky - Ran Slavin 2 Renata Padovan - Lily & Honglei - Holly Rodricks - Arzu Ozkal Telhan - Sinasi Günes Daniel Castillo & Carolina Padilla - Milica Rakic - Haim Ben Shitrit - Lin Fanguso Sonja Vuk - Arthur Tuoto - Joaquin Palencia . Roland Wegerer - My Name is Scot Fumiko Matsuyama - Vladimir Mitrev - Carmen Lansberg - Jill Sigman - Isvan Rusvai 3. Jamie M. Waelchli - Bill Domonkos - Fabio Scacchioli - Pekka Ruuska - Roland Fuhrmann Luana Visciglia - Valerie Garlick - Iona Pelovska - Carla Della Beffa - Rafael - Chis Coleman Anna FC Smith - Virginie Foloppe - Priscilla Pomeroy - Julio Orta - Silvana Dunat - Aryn Zev Nuria Fragoso 4. Philip Matousek - Anna Porzelt - Amorea Cosmalion - Jonas Ungar - Dina Boswank Nilgün Serbest & Tobias Kurtz - Sibylle Trickes - Susanne Wiegner - Maya Schweizer Amit Epstein - Anna Hirschmann - Johanna Reich - Sarah Adetola 5. Shobna Gulaty - Hetain Patel - Nikesh Shukla - Nitin Das - Nila Madhab Panda - Ali Zaidi Abhilash V. - Roshaan Khattak - Monika Dutta - Sukanya Ghosh - Vishwajyoti Ghosh Shazieh Gorji - Syed Ali Nasir - Sehban Zaidi ----------------------------------------------- CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival can be accessed via the festival site http://coff.newmediafest.org or directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org CologneOFF is a corporate part of [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne - www.nmartproject.net - the experimental platform for art and new media from Cologne/Germany ---------------------------------------------- info(at)nmartproject.net From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Mon Nov 16 14:28:10 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:28:10 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] 2nd Media Workshop by SAFAR Message-ID: <789884.88312.qm@web94710.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Dear Mittoo, I am interested in such a programme. I have only two queries: a. What is the date(s), timings and location of the workshop b.  How do I get an online money transfer confirmed? Regards, Subhrodip. The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 14:40:25 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:10:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] True face of Islamic Separatists of Kashmir Message-ID: <509005.77086.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Apart from the Islamic Separatists of Kashmir themselves, there are some in other parts of India and on this List who would have us believe that the so called "Aazadi" movement in Kashmir is not an Islamic Separatist movement but a "secular" one.     Either they are themselves unthinking morons or treat their audience as being so.   Here is one of the Islamist Separatist leaders speaking "secular": """""" In his speech to a rally in the mountainous town, Mirwaiz asserted that Kashmir was incomplete without Jammu and that the Muslim dominated areas of the region would be taken into confidence at “every front.” """""" http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1258134242&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news   Kshmendra From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Mon Nov 16 15:21:39 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:51:39 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] Invitation for Discussion on Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue In-Reply-To: <47e122a70911141210o167adc92u88432c81fb68e082@mail.gmail.com> References: <677268.29218.qm@web31809.mail.mud.yahoo.com>, <47e122a70911141210o167adc92u88432c81fb68e082@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Desperate attempt to draw analogy with the ‘Azadi-bara-e-Islam’ inspired bloody insurgency in Kashmir only trivialises the issue of Palestine in general. It belittles the continued pathetic plight of Palestinians & their right to coexist with Israel. Islam flourishes in Kashmir & it is the Kashmiri Muslims & only Kashmiri Muslims who have been ruling Kashmir including the regions of Jammu & Ladakh ever since the state’s accession. It is these very Kashmiri Muslims who have at one time or the other been part of the main stream polity who now regard Kashmir as the unfinished agenda of the two nation theory based partition of India. Even the Kashmiri Islamists themselves have never complained of any cultural, linguistic persecution or economic deprivation. Even today when Kashmir is described as a conflict zone, average Kashmiri Muslim is many times better off than any other average Indian outside the valley. Given the ‘glamour’ & ‘luxury’ that Kashmiri separatism enjoys, the separatists prefer continuation of the status quo. Delete foreign sponsored guns & mercenaries; pan Islamic fervour & funds, the Kashmir issue stands more than half resolved. Contrast it with the impoverished West Bank or Gaza strip…..???.... Regards all LA Ps: Following comment by Kuldip Nayar himself no less a sympathiser of separatists should help…. http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the- newspaper/editorial/kashmir-without-a-soul-309 Kashmir without a soul By Kuldip Nayar /Dawn Friday, 23 Oct, 2009 | 01:35 AM PST IT is unbelievable but Srinagar has changed beyond recognition in the past four years since I was there last. Right from the swanky new airport to the hotel, a distance of about 10 km, there is modern construction. However, trees have been cut down mercilessly to accommodate fancy thoroughfares. Walls running along the road have been demolished and the rubble is there for all to see. As I covered the journey to my hotel, I missed the old Kashmiri houses from where women with long trinkets would peer out. Shops are well stocked and full of customers. Too much money is flowing in and the guess is that it is from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India in that order. The number of cars on the road is many times more than before. There are traffic jams and one has to keep the snarls in mind when one plans a trip. People move freely. I saw many women on the road without burka or headwear. Militancy is by and large over. Some terrorists strike once in a while. They attacked the police at Lal Chowk recently. But I get the feeling that the media magnifies stray incidents. When attacks were a regular feature, there was curfew after sunset. Now the people are on the road even at 11 pm. I did not see a single policeman on the road from the airport. Bunkers are mostly gone. I found one at Lal Chowk where some policemen stood with their fingers on the trigger. Papa One and Papa Two, the interrogation centres, have been closed. But detentions still take place. The biggest worry is the occasional disappearance of youth. Incidents like the rape of two women at Shopian are rare. But whenever they take place, they infuriate the people to the extent that they come out on the streets. The mode of search, whether of a vehicle or a person, has changed. Policemen are more polite and less intrusive. Still a member of a very respected family told me how he and his wife were stopped on the road. A policeman wanted to search the woman but on his insistence a female officer did so. The anti-India feeling is there beneath the surface. People are not afraid of saying so. However, pro-Pakistan sentiments have practically disappeared, more because of the Kashmiris’ perception of the mess in which the country is. I found the Hurriyat leaders sober. One leader told me that they had vibes from Delhi that something positive would emerge. They are looking forward to talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. There is an effort to have a consensus among the different parties, including the Hurriyat, before the prime minister’s arrival. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wants New Delhi to talk to all political parties but has also emphasised that India should have a dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir problem. It was an interesting talk which I heard when I was sitting with the Hurriyat leaders. A young Pakistani American told them that what had surprised him after the span of three years since his last visit was that Kashmir was “being assimilated by India quickly”. They were embarrassed but did not want to reply to him in my presence. Born in Kashmir, this young man is a member of a think tank in Washington. He told them that free state elections, watched by a large number of Americans on televisions, had made a great impression. He said they were beginning to believe that the problem was “more or less over”. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah is more candid than his son, Omar, who is losing his popularity fast. Farooq says there are “paid lobbies” in the state to keep the problem alive. He accuses security forces, politicians and bureaucrats of having “a vested interest in the Kashmir crisis”. He has a point when he says that New Delhi has failed to make headway in resolving the problem. Not many solutions are hawked about now. There is a suggestion that both Kashmirs should be demilitarised, India withdrawing its forces from the valley and stationing them on its border and Pakistan doing likewise and pulling out its forces from Azad Kashmir. But this depends on India and Pakistan reaching a settlement, supported by the Kashmiris. The problem of Jammu and Ladakh has become ticklish. They do not want to stay with the valley. Jammu wants to join India and Ladakh wants a union territory status. True, the Hurriyat has never tried to woo Jammu and has seldom cared for the Kashmiri Pandits languishing there. Still both Jammu and Ladakh can be brought around if they were to be given an autonomous status by the valley within the state. I have no doubt that the Kashmir problem will be solved sooner or later. But too much has happened in the state in the past. This makes it difficult for the old Kashmir to come back to life. Familiar symbols are dying. Sufism has been replaced by assertive teachings. Kashmiri music is dying out because society has been forced to acquire a religious edge. Old crafts attract fewer artisans because there is a race to earn a quick buck. The wazwan, a string of Kashmiri dishes served at one sitting, is still there but new cooks are hard to get. The reintegration of Muslims and Pandits appears difficult. An Islamic identity has taken shape, reportedly more in the countryside. Kashmiriyat, a secular ethos, is beyond repair. The animosity among the three regions Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh, may dilute but will remain. It may still remain the state of Jammu and Kashmir. But its soul would be missing. The writer is a leading journalist based in Delhi. > Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:40:21 +0530 > From: indersalim at gmail.com > To: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Invitation for Discussion on Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue > > 1. > > A little working parody to understand Kashmir: ‘I went to terrorism, > as to the liberation as to the light’ > > I quote, Jean Genet. “ I went to Theft, as to the Liberation, as to the Light “ > J.P.Sartre saw a saint in Genet, and I guess he indeed was. Genet > supported Palestinian Armed struggled, but declared with clarity that > his support is not for another bureaucracy, another Army, another > state with another boarder for other humanity to stop from entering > into it. He supported Black Panthers in America for their underground > struggle against the White Racist Politics. His own grave is somewhere > in Morocco. He had no address, no home, no relatives, but too much of > love in his heart. Love of higher order indeed. > > This way, Genet’s Palestine was not limited to Palestine only, but it > spilled like fragrance beyond that piece of land. So, can we see > Kashmir issue too turning into another Palestine issue beyond mere > physical volume of Kashmir Issue. Can we see Kashmir issue beyond > history even, beyond written references and paper work, accessions, > and endless debates emerging out of that. can we have some alternative > approach to this... > > Genet himself was the product of ‘ghettoized’ life in France: a > liberated, egalitarian, democratic and free France. He was > illegitimate and had no place to go, but lived in a French social > reform-centre which was a factory to make thieves, pimps etc from > homeless children in France. In his book, Miracle of the Rose, Genet > praised his friend who killed a guard in the Prison. The convict was > guillotined later, but he saw him fainting like a woman, on the day > his hair was cut before execution. Genet saw a prophet in him. A > martyr in other sense, for whom we can not have a shrine in any system > of committed worshipers, but Genet seemed to elevate characters like > him to the status of a Saint. He, himself saw very ordinary ‘planner’, > in comparison to a ‘ crasher’ ,until Sartre wrote a 600 page book on > him: Saint Genet. > > Kashmir, Palestine, and now Afghanistan and Swat like areas too are > perhaps products of a ‘ghettoized’ life forced on them by superior > powers. Kashmir may be not a ghettoized place if ,we search literal > meaning in it, but politically, yes. Kashmir too looked for an > identity of its own which was denied by Afghans, by Mughals by Dogras, > by British, and then finally by the state of India. The entire > kashmiri population ( minus a miniscule minority ) questioned the > merger of valley with rest of India. > > One such was, for example, Ghulam Nabi Gilkar . I read on him in a > essay from book BOUQUET: a tribute to unsung heroes of kashmir, by > JKCCS) which becomes a case in the point to understand how such a > ‘ghettoized’ life can gift an identity crises to a normal human > being, who was jailed by both Pakistanis in POK and by Indians in IOK. > The essay rightly deconstructs some heroic sheen from Sheikh Abdullah, > who perhaps ditiched him, but it is too quickly written piece on a > hero called GN Gilkar. One can see, some Rosy Fragrance coming out of > his grave in POK, which is similar to one coming out of dead > Mujaheedeen homes who died fighting Americans in Afganistan, as we > read in Landscapes of Jihad by Faizal Devi Ji’s book. > > Recently, Yasin Malik rightly pointed out in Delhi that Kashmir has no > beggers , but why all Kashmiris dislike India, in spite of the fact > that so much money is being pumped in the valley. Is it somehow > similar to France which once maintained reform centres for orphans, > which only produced criminals. The criminals who were proud of their > violent activities, murder, rape and what not. Has ‘ ghettoization > of Kashmir,too, here, in political sense, produced freedom fighters > called terrorists who justify killing, of not only Indian security > forces, but anybody whom they feel are an impediment to their cause. > Islamisation is a term invented by the west, like we have terms for > criminals, and nothing for those who loot oil, land and other > resources from the others.... > > While reading Genet, one comes across stories which narrate the > changing pattern of thieves, pimps and other such elements. Some of > them indeed want to settle down and live an domestic life ( so called > normal ), which becomes a challenge for them. For their second half > time of life, they produce different set of rules to fit in a society > as well as identifying themselves with their first half of life, which > was explicitly criminal once. A differnet imbalance sets in, as i > have recently posted about two friends ( one hindu and other muslim ) > who met after a while and victimized a woman, unwittingly. > > So we hear, amazing stories from French Reform centres and how > characters develop into full fledged criminals, and also stories from > Kashmir about how these ghettoized people narrate their pasts and > betrayls even. In Delhi, Teen Murti, no one could answer Yasin Malik > that why he was arrested in pre 90 election when elections were openly > rigged by Indian State in collaboration with local partiies there. He > openly blamed the civil society for his surrendering of armed > struggle. He used the word ‘ cheat’. He is a character from Genet, if > seen politically. > > Reading Genet one can see how characters use all the systems of > thought to overcome their past, but cant get rid of their ghettoized > tag. A Kashmiri is a Kashmiri, a muslim is a muslim etc. Yasin Malik > rightly pointed out that how power struggle guided Kashmiri Pandits to > look towards Delhi, when Muslims in the valley started getting > educated. It is not about religion then, he pointed out. > > > 2. > > ‘Global’ is a handy term which is not limited to commerce only but > also to other spheres of life. All the political conflicts are in > fact global in nature, although they tend to concern few of that > region in the first place, but a deeper understanding on how > realities are interconnected which marks every soul on this earth in > a single unique way. > > Perhaps, things are moving at a very different pace than we realize in > actuality. For example, internet itself has mingled with our banking, > media, and even marriages are fixed or unfixed through net. ‘ > Internet is not a spectacle’ I quote Jacques Ranciere, and to say so, > he perhaps, meant that a huge civil society and its operative > mechanisms have merged its genetic fibre with the digital wave. So > take it more seriously. > > So, what about political debates being settled on the Net Itself, > similar to the one which was held at Teen Murti ( Nehru Memorial New > Delhi ) couple of days back: POLITICAL FUTURE OF KASHMIR, or even now > organized by Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) in > Sringar Kashmir itself. Not that face to face things consume lot of > time and energy and deliver very little, ( to become tamasha in the > end, as Yasin Malik pointed out ) but other means of communication at > the same time have become too, but some of them cost effective in the > least, and so need to be considered as vital tools to settle > conflicts. So both things do exist. > > 3. > > Khurram Parvez’s invite on the List for the debate on Kashmir issue > was followed by Sonia Jabbar’s forward on Govt Report: Land Reform. In > a deeper way I find both these post interconnected. This blend of > thought is happening now, and which if taken seriously can lead us to > actual sustainability on the earth. > > Both the issues are about land. Kashmir was a piece of land for Hari > Singh’s grandfather who bought it for 7.5 million rupees, which has > snowballed into this Kashmir issue with LoC between two Nuclear > States. On the other hand, Corporate Networking is hell bent to own > the land which belongs to poor and indigenous people of this earth and > the partners in their fight against the very poor is the State. Dont > we know how land lords are always been critical with polticial > struggles. They like stats quoes, They like fencing, walls and > laws.... > > In Kashmir it has taken the shape of a political ‘tamasha’ ( > spectacle) between those who want just settlement of the issue and > those who think Satus Quo is the last word. In North Eastern Regions, > we have State’s Salwa Judam+security forces and Maoists+people for > just solution of the land problem which the state thinks is right in > dealing with so called menace. The state has no mechanism but sheer > power to deal with these issues. > > So another ‘ ghettoized’ life is emerging with vengeance. Genet was > right, but now it looks violence is helping the State to crush the > dissent more ruthlessly. sad . > > Sad, no solution are in sight > > With love and regards > Inder salim > > > On Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 5:46 PM, Khurram Parvez wrote: > > > > Dear Friends, > > > > > > Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) cordially invites you to participate in a discussion, “Civil Society Concerns about Dialogue”. > > > > The programme will be held at: > > Hotel Grand Mumtaz > > 11 Maulana Azad Road , Srinagar > > Phone: 2450281/2452548 > > > > The programme will be convened on: > > Sunday 15th November 2009 at 01:00 p.m. > > > > The aim of the > > program is to discuss civil society concerns about the expected > > dialogue between what the Indian state calls “all stakeholders” in > > Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi . It is of paramount importance that > > the content of this dialogue is clearly understood among the civil > > society, the primary stakeholders in any such process that embarks upon > > determining the political status of a people. Dialogue by its > > very nature is between two equal stakeholders. The stakeholders as far > > as the Indian pronouncements are concerned are not clearly defined at > > all. Indian Prime Minister has already made government of India ’s > > agenda about the Kashmir dialogue clear. New Delhi is entering the > > dialogue for “final reconciliation so that peace can be achieved for > > development and reconstruction” in Jammu and Kashmir . > > In this program > > we would like to facilitate a discussion on the below mentioned > > concerns about the objectives and possible directions of this fresh > > engagement with New Delhi that is most likely to begin soon. > > > > Clear acknowledgement of people’s liberation > > struggle in its true historical perspective should be the basis of > > initiating any kind of talks/dialogue.Indian state is talking in contradictory terms. > > Its army commanders are labeling street protests as terrorism and > > vowing not to leave the civilian areas, while its home minister is > > talking about a “unique political solution for Jammu and Kashmir .” > > Besides India has not reviewed its arbitrary constitutional position on > > Kashmir .Who is going to talk to whom? If the stakeholders > > include pro-India participatory parties like the PDP and NC, who are > > already wedded to accession of J&K to India , then what is there to > > negotiate about? Should leaders who represent resistance to Indian rule > > in J&K agree to be equals in a dialogue with those who have carried > > forward Indian policies in the disputed region since its existence? If > > so, then the dialogue is about administrative matters, transfer/sharing > > of power, Indian security concerns and not about determining the > > political status/sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir . What is the negotiating position that a section > > of Kashmir resistance leaders are taking to the table? Will the > > dialogue be guided by the principle of right to self determination? The political struggle in Jammu & Kashmir has > > been against Indian rule. Are those who would enter a dialogue with New > > Delhi going to talk about disengagement with India in any other form > > than the right of self determination? The Indian Home Minister does not have the > > authority to discuss sovereignty. Can he be accepted as New Delhi ’s > > interlocutor in any dialogue for the final status of Jammu & > > Kashmir? The agenda and format of the dialogue for political rights must be transparent and made public.If and when any conclusions are agreed upon > > between the parties, how is the agreement proposed to be put to public > > vote in order for it to be democratically endorsed by the people – the > > primary stakeholders? And, how would the condition on ground be made conducive for that endorsement to materialize?Will this talks/dialogue process dilute the international character of the Kashmir issue. > > > > It is also > > proposed that at the end of this discussion we would reach a consensus > > about civil society questions to and demands from those leaders who may > > go to the negotiating table with New Delhi representing us. > > > > Please don’t hesitate to contact us for any clarification or further information. > > > > We are looking forward to your participation. > > > > Thank you, > > > > Program Coordinator > > Khurram Parvez > > Mobile : 9419013553 > > Email: kparvez at kashmirprocess.org > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Simplify what you do everyday. Find the right PC for you. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 15:46:53 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:16:53 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "From Kabul to Kashmir" Message-ID: <801556.16290.qm@web57205.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Selig Harrison finds a resonance in the tragedies of 9/11 for the USA and 26/11 for India. Fair enough.   Unlike the 9/11 for the USA though, the 'terror' and 'terrorist' export from Pakistan to India is not the story of 26/11 alone.   26/11 drew a lot of attention because of the 'live TV' coverage over a couple of days in the well known cosmpolitan city of Bombay.   It no more needs others to say so, Pakistanis themselves now comment on how the 'export' of 'terror' to India finds connected repercussions through the 'terror' that Pakistan itself is now facing.   Pakistan's 'bleed India' (through terror) policy reaches back in it's start to a few decades before 26/11.   Kshmendra       "From Kabul to Kashmir"   By Selig S. Harrison | NEWSWEEK   Published Nov 13, 2009   By all rights, the United States and India should be bound together by the shared tragedies of 9/11 and last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai. India's size, economic-growth trajectory, and rising power as a stable, secular democracy in a dangerous part of the world ought to make it a key U.S. partner. Instead, Washington's single-minded focus on India's much smaller unstable neighbor, Pakistan, in carrying out the war on terror has increasingly strained its relations with New Delhi. To India's dismay, the U.S. has looked the other way while much of the $10.5 billion in military hardware and cash subsidies provided to the Pakistan Army for use against the Taliban has been diverted to building up arms capabilities targeted at India. Equally disturbing is that Washington has given only perfunctory support to India in pushing Pakistan to prosecute the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks.   The principal argument advanced to justify this focus is that the U.S. needs the cooperation of Pakistani generals to counter Al -Qaeda and the Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. But, far from helping, Islamabad is giving covert aid to the Taliban. It also has yet to provide the intelligence needed to root out Al Qaeda—a point driven home in October when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, referring to Al Qaeda, told an audience in Pakistan that it was "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."   To complicate matters further, many Pakistani leaders now argue that their country needs a strong Taliban in Afghanistan to offset the rising Indian influence there. The price for cutting its ties with the Taliban, Islamabad says, is a "grand bargain" in which India lowers its profile in Kabul and settles the Kashmir issue. This position is of a piece with the longstanding desire in Islamabad to make Afghanistan a satellite state that will provide "defense in depth" against New Delhi. In an interview with me in 1988, Pakistani President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq declared that "we have earned the right as a frontline state against the Russians to have a friendly regime in Kabul, a regime to our liking." Two decades later, a Pakistani general told the visiting U.S. Director of Intelligence Mike McConnell that "we must support the Taliban so that there is a government friendly to Pakistan in Kabul. Otherwise, India will reign." More recently, the spokesman for the Pakistan armed forces criticized the "overinvolvement of Indians in Afghanistan," specifically warning against any Indian aid in training the Afghan Army.   Most U.S. officials have ignored Pakistan's attack on the Indian presence in Kabul. But Gen. Stanley McChrystal echoed the Pakistani refrain in his assessment of the prospects in Afghanistan, stating that "increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan is likely to exacerbate regional tensions and encourage Pakistani countermeasures in Afghanistan or India." This was a bombshell in New Delhi, and the Obama administration should make clear that it is not opposed to more Indian influence in Kabul. The U.S. goal should be a sovereign Afghanistan, not the creation of an anti-Indian Pakistani satellite state. To this end, the U.S. and NATO should encourage India and other regional powers to play a greater role in shaping Afghanistan's future and in setting the terms for a gradual U.S.-NATO withdrawal. So far, Indian assistance to Kabul has consisted of just $1.2 billion in economic aid and police training, but it could offer a valuable addition to the currently ineffectual U.S.-NATO effort to train the Afghan Army.   As President Obama has observed, the Kashmir issue "is obviously a tar pit, diplomatically." That is because it is not a territorial issue. In Indian eyes, the retention of a Muslim-majority Kashmir is necessary to preserve India's character as a secular state in which 160 million Muslims coexist uneasily with a Hindu majority. By the same token, Pakistan gives Kashmir top priority to vindicate its creation as an Islamic state.   To be sure, significant progress was made during former president Pervez Musharraf's regime in exploring the terms for a thaw in Kashmir. But no proposal for a "grand bargain" would have any chance of success unless Islamabad prosecutes the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and destroys the Islamist paramilitary forces that threaten India and Pakistan. This is extremely unlikely, given the grip of Islamist sympathizers on the Pakistan Army. So while the U.S. should continue to give large-scale development aid to Pakistan, the focus of its attention in South Asia should shift to India—one of the few bright spots on the U.S. global horizon.   Harrison is director of the Asia Program at the Center for International Policy and a senior scholar of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.     http://www.newsweek.com/id/222631   From lalitambardar at hotmail.com Mon Nov 16 16:02:55 2009 From: lalitambardar at hotmail.com (Lalit Ambardar) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:32:55 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] "Kashmir without a soul" Kuldip Nayar laments now... In-Reply-To: <509005.77086.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <509005.77086.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: If only the 'liberal' mind set had not chosen to remain silent & mislead the world then when the Kashmiri Hindu Pandits were being hounded out of kashmir in 1989-90 .....????........ Read what Kuldip Nayar has to say now- "The reintegration of Muslims and Pandits appears difficult. An Islamic identity has taken shape, reportedly more in the countryside. Kashmiriyat, a secular ethos, is beyond repair. The animosity among the three regions Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh, may dilute but will remain. It may still remain the state of Jammu and Kashmir. But its soul would be missing" http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/editorial/kashmir-without-a-soul-309 Regards all LA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Simplify what you do everyday. Find the right PC for you. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 17:15:21 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:45:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "The convenient curtain of myth" Message-ID: <733620.25171.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> An appreciably honest and insightful introspection by Asif Akhtar about Pakistan.   Kshmendra     "The convenient curtain of myth"   Posted by Asif Akhtar in Featured Articles, Pakistan, Politics on 11 14th, 2009   Recently, I met some jihadis who have been in the business of holy war since the 1990s. I was surprised to hear that even though they were in support of the jihad in Afghanistan and Kashmir, they were opposed to the idea of destabilising Pakistan itself. When asked who was responsible for the suicide bombings and target killings they had an overarching theory to explain the tricky business. According to them, India, the United States, and Israel had colluded resources to create a super-agency to dishevel this entire region. Though they admitted that convincing a hardened jihadi that the government of Pakistan was also part of the enemy collaborative wasn’t too much of a stretch, they also added that a true jihadi would not be involved in the killing of innocent people.   Surprisingly enough, this whole India-US-Israel theory has a lot of popular currency these days in Pakistan, a country whose national sports should be lounge room politics and conspiracy theorising instead of cricket and hockey. The myriad of television talk-shows on every news channel are heavily relying on this theory of a triangulated axis of evil out to destroy Islam and Pakistan with one nifty stone’s throw of insurgent terror.   I don’t mean to dampen Pakistan’s highly built up superiority complex laced with self pity at the whole world’s always being out to get us, but has anyone ever thought of questioning why we always situate Pakistan at the centre of our world view? It is true that Pakistan is in the news a lot these days, and that the location of our borders in terms of resources and trade routes present significant geopolitical interests. But isn’t it a bit much to consider the current conflict in terms of issues that lie beyond the immediately obvious uses of Pakistan’s soil, and therefore hurl the current conflict in to the realm of myth and conspiracy?   Islamic mythology has obviously played a huge role in the formation of our national identity. It is telling that the history books we’re taught in school start from Mohenjodaro and Harappa, jump to the life of the Prophet in pagan Arabia, and then an interlude of early Islamic history until the likes of Muhammad bin Qasim finally brings Islam to the subcontinent. After that, the Muslim personalities involved in South Asian politics are closely followed up until the creation of Pakistan as a homeland for the Muslims.   Given this strange mix of religious indoctrination and nationalist propaganda, it isn’t a shock that our national identity is hopelessly intertwined with religion. The great ups and downs of our history are also then viewed though the mirror image of early Islamic Arabian history, starting with the Partition of 1947 where the oppressed Muslims in the land of infidels partake in a hijrah-like migration to greener pastures. This is also responsible for similar coinages as mohajir’s for people who migrated from the other side of the border, and of course the Muttahida Quami Movement as well. Looking across the border with the same deeply rooted scepticism through which we historically view pagan Mecca also comes with the national identity combo-meal.   After two wars with our neighbour that have been cloaked in the same historical-identity mirror as jihads which the Prophet Muhammad participated in – the 1965 war, where a small number of Muslims beat a larger threatening army of infidels akin to the scenario in Jang-e-Badar, and the 1971 war being similar to Jang-e-Uhad, where the Muslims suffered heavy losses owing to their greed and indiscipline. Kargil would then be seen as the Battle of the Trench, had it not ended with such a national disaster.   The idea of martyrdom has been historically very close to these times of crisis when national unity is a must. The list of the dozen or so shaheeds who gave their life for the country is also present in every textbook. Unfortunately, the idea of the martyr as a member of Pakistan’s armed forces has become one that is hotly contested in recent times, as the right to declare a martyr isn’t the sole prerogative of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The ISPR’s version of a shaheed in Waziristan is diametrically opposed to that of the TTP’s version of shaheed.   The same mujahids who valiantly fought in Kashmir and Afghanistan for Islam and Pakistan, seem to have turned on the Islamic Republic as the very fabric of propaganda which binds Islam with Pakistan is ruptured beyond repair. With the popularly elected government being portrayed as infidel rule propped up by the Americans, and the culture of the modern, westernised elites is labeled as shamelessness and excessive debauchery, it seems we’re caught in the middle of a storm where the hero can no longer be told apart from the enemy.   For decades, the enemy image coined in our heads has been that of the Islam-hating, darker-skinned Hindu at the eastern edge of our border. One can imagine how much violence the average Pakistanis’ worldview must have been subjected to when the heroic mujahid suddenly became the enemy, in less than a decade. A painful readjustment of the conventional enemy image is needed in order to re-galvanize the nation behind these destroyers of the idea of Pakistan.   This interesting transposition was evident in an armed forces award ceremony in which shaheeds from the current conflict were inducted into the ranks of those martyred in Pakistan’s conventional wars. The reenacted footage telegraphing each incident showed a mysterious tribal as the concealed enemy. The army also seems to be relying on foreigners being involved in the tribal areas as a way to distance the conflict from civil strife. The circulation of reports of large containers of alcohol belonging to Uzbek militants also seems to be a way of distancing Islam from the enemy.   However, it appears that instead of reevaluating things through a more rational approach, we’ve stuck to our patchwork quilt of mythological identity through a couple of quick-and-easy adjustments. As a matter of convenience for our security establishment, the principal enemy obviously remains India. But those polygamous infidels couldn’t possibly be the solely responsible for such an ingenious plan that redirects our tactics against them and literally brings the country to its knees? No, that’s not possible. So who could they possibly be in cahoots with?   Once again the answer is conveniently available from early Islamic Arabia, where the Meccan pagans were conspiring with scheming Jewish tribes. A simple transposition of the historical onto our mythological identity yields the result of India and Israel collaborating for the destruction of Pakistan, with the US sitting on the fringes like the Holy Roman Empire.   I think it’s time we quit hiding behind the convenient curtain of myth, and take the bitter pill of reality. For once, for that might help us frame this conflict in more rational terms and possibly lead us closer to a solution, rather than further feeding propaganda to the conflict. If the present reasoning of global evils out to destroy Islam and Pakistan continues, then the only answer is the apocalyptic war which is talked about in fringe mythologies related to the arrival of the Antichrist.   The last thing we want is for this to be a self-fulfilling prophecy! We need to step away from viewing this as a clash of civilisations, in terms of Islam versus the West. This is a misinformed dichotomy, since the West is not a religion, and Islam isn’t a geographical location. The more hopelessly intertwined our nationality becomes with a faux mythology, the more susceptible it becomes to being hijacked by those wishing to extract temporary gains from this vulnerability.   (Lahore-based Asif Akhtar is interested in critical social discourse as well as the expressive facets of reactive art and is one of the schizophrenic narrators of a graphic novel. He blogs at http://e-scape-artist.blogspot.com/ and tweets at http://twitter.com/e_scape_artist .)   http://blog.dawn.com/2009/11/14/the-convenient-curtain-of-myth/   From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 17:19:42 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:49:42 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" Message-ID: <952704.85079.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> These are the kind of Islamic precepts that are sought to be infused in Muslim citizens of  Non-Islamic countries.   In this context:   - is it surprising that the loyalty of Muslim citizens to their Non-Muslim countries tends to  be viewed with suspicion?   - does the "going Muslim" of Maj Hasan of Fort Hood massacre seem far fetched?   Kshmendra       Sunday, November 15, 2009   "Muslims must quit UK armed forces : Iranian envoy"   * Cleric says Islam forbids Muslim involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq wars * Iran entitled to pursue nuclear ambitions for peaceful purposes Daily Times Monitor   LAHORE: The Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative in Britain has told Muslim servicemen and women to quit the British armed forces, saying that Islam forbids their involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Talking to The Times, Ayatollah Abdul Hussain Moezi, personally appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also urged Muslims to defeat the opposition to the Iranian regime. In his first interview with the newspaper, Moezi, director of the Islamic Centre of England, said he regretted that protesters were killed by the Iranian security forces after the presidential election in June but that their deaths were “unavoidable”. Prohibition: The cleric, the most senior Iranian spiritual leader in Britain with thousands of Shia followers, said that it was wrong for Muslims to serve in the armed forces, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq where Muslims were being killed. “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go there, I don’t accept non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We say that Muslims are not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that Christians are allowed to go and kill Muslims?” The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last week of 13 American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim military psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not be used to tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim population. He said the 9/11 attacks and the London bombings were wrong but accused the forces of “Zionist imperialism” of using the atrocities to smear Islam and its followers. “I believe the Islamic revolution has been absorbed to the deepest parts of our society,” said Ayatollah Moezi, who has been in Britain since 2004 after serving as Khamenei’s special envoy to Vienna for four years. During the interview, he expressed his unease with some of the questions put to him, including those about the political situation in Iran. But he insisted that he would answer such questions to set the record straight and show that he was not afraid of being transparent and accountable. Moezi said he regretted the death of Neda Sultan, 26, a student, who the regime believes was killed by its enemies. The opposition maintains that she was killed by Iranian security forces. He said her killers should be brought to justice. Sultan, an Iranian student shot on June 20, has been held by Iran’s opposition movement and many in the West as a symbol of the regime’s brutality and suppression of human rights. Nuclear ambition: He said Iran was entitled to pursue its nuclear ambitions for peaceful purposes. “The fact that Iran is entitled to use atomic energy has been admitted by the whole world,” he added. Moezi believed that Islam and politics were “inter-mixed” because religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. And part of social issues is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of eye on political issues”. He insisted that his role in Britain was to provide spiritual advice to all Muslims, irrespective of their sectarian background, and encourage them to become more involved in British society through education and employment. “My personal belief is if Muslim migrants are better Muslims in this society, they can shape their individual lives in a better way and could be better members to this society,” he said.   http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C11%5C15%5Cstory_15-11-2009_pg1_11     From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Mon Nov 16 18:16:10 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:16:10 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: References: <952704.85079.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Rakesh Iyer Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" To: Kshmendra Kaul Hi (to all) Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail to Sarai, having read some of the most shocking kind of statements, presented in a very dubious manner or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either traitors, or that they can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. It is disgusting that some people have assumed that Muslims are loyal not to their own conscience or even to the nations which they are citizens of, but to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to the Mullahs and Maulvis who for them are more important than what the law of the land states. Some people on this forum, as also elsewhere across the nation, media and among others, have thought this to be obvious. It is very wrong on any basis to make such conjectures and perception-based statements unless one has done an academic study on this issue, to find out the effect of what such statements do, or how many among the Muslims across different nations, not only in India, but also in Europe and others, are actually involved in terrorist activities, or at the least, supporting the ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I don't know myself about any such study having been conducted in India or any other nation for that matter; if any of you has anything or any study to prove so, please do put it forward. It is also shameful that Muslims across India or other regions have to prove their loyalty because of these shameful perceptions. It's on this perception factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is stating that UP and Bihar people are actually taking over the jobs of the Marathis. The ironic thing is that in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. of migrants to Mumbai is actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the largest) are from within Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which when added to Maharashtra migrants come over to close to 60%) and then Gujarat. Where does even Bihar come into the picture? And all these statistics are based on a UNDP-BMC survey report which has been done recently. And the report also says that the situation has been the same with little difference in composition of migrants since the 1960's. When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama Bin Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even the local Mullah on the street for that matter? And how many Muslims even made that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim family which always supported Pakistan in matches against India, but for that one family, I know of at least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to shower at Pakistan when India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. Infact, some of them even claim we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to Pakistan? (although I do agree nuking is not what we should do) When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or anybody including the Hindu Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the views of the Hindus. Who are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even know what being a Hindu is, or what Hinduism is? The same argument even extends to those who think they speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what Islam is? Have they even studied the Koran properly, and do understand in what context what has been said? Every person has the right to speak for himself/herself. Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even Hindus. Or Marathis. Or others. If you want to question someone for his/her beliefs, don't ask questions to anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume that somebody has got the right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband conference doesn't have the right to speak for Muslims across India, forget across even entire South-Asian region. As far as the content of the previous mail is concerned, I think there are positives to be taken, many of them. We should respect those. At the same time, the representative has a right to request Muslims not to join the forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That doesn't mean Muslims will, by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. It's their right to accept or not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have a right to do, is to explain to them why this perspective is skewed or not, depending on our value system and judgement. Don't just assume please, that Muslims are traitors or not traitors. Each individual is different, please go ahead and respect their individuality. Rakesh From c.anupam at gmail.com Mon Nov 16 19:21:25 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:21:25 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: References: <952704.85079.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail report: “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go there, I don’t accept non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We say that Muslims are not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that Christians are allowed to go and kill Muslims?” The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last week of 13 American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim military psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not be used to tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim population." Dear Kshmendra, It is very clear that the appeal is not for the Muslims but for anyone who is opposed to the occupation of forces in these countries and also who are opposed to things like war in any nation. I think I can very well read it as a caution against any form of war or violence waged by anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was wrong in interpreting what this man was talking about? I am sure being a Muslim, and an Iranian is a peril in these times. Here allegiance to a flag is not the issue. In a phased manner thousands of young men are exposed to this conflict of energy-terror-security. after UK and US have been waging this war at the cost of these lives. would anyone deny the increasing number of coffins being brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan? there is no doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a fellow comrade is matter of pride and motivation, but what are these soldiers fighting for? -anupam On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Rakesh Iyer > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > Hi (to all) > > Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail to Sarai, having read some > of the most shocking kind of statements, presented in a very dubious manner > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either traitors, or that they > can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. > > It is disgusting that some people have assumed that Muslims are loyal not to > their own conscience or even to the nations which they are citizens of, but > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to the Mullahs and Maulvis who > for them are more important than what the law of the land states. Some > people on this forum, as also elsewhere across the nation, media and among > others, have thought this to be obvious. > > It is very wrong on any basis to make such conjectures and perception-based > statements unless one has done an academic study on this issue, to find out > the effect of what such statements do, or how many among the Muslims across > different nations, not only in India, but also in Europe and others, are > actually involved in terrorist activities, or at the least, supporting the > ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I don't know myself about any > such study having been conducted in India or any other nation for that > matter; if any of you has anything or any study to prove so, please do put > it forward. > > It is also shameful that Muslims across India or other regions have to prove > their loyalty because of these shameful perceptions. It's on this perception > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is stating that UP and Bihar people > are actually taking over the jobs of the Marathis. The ironic thing is that > in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. of migrants to Mumbai is > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the largest) are from within > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which when added to Maharashtra > migrants come over to close to 60%) and then Gujarat. Where does even Bihar > come into the picture? And all these statistics are based on a UNDP-BMC > survey report which has been done recently. And the report also says that > the situation has been the same with little difference in composition of > migrants since the 1960's. > > When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama Bin > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even the > local Mullah on the street for that matter? And how many Muslims even made > that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim family which always supported > Pakistan in matches against India, but for that one family, I know of at > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to shower at Pakistan when > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. Infact, some of them even claim > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to Pakistan? (although I do agree > nuking is not what we should do) > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or anybody including the Hindu > Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the views of the Hindus. Who > are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even know what being a Hindu is, > or what Hinduism is? The same argument even extends to those who think they > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what Islam is? Have they even > studied the Koran properly, and do understand in what context what has been > said? Every person has the right to speak for himself/herself. > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even Hindus. Or Marathis. Or others. > If you want to question someone for his/her beliefs, don't ask questions to > anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume that somebody has got the > right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband conference doesn't have the > right to speak for Muslims across India, forget across even entire > South-Asian region. > > > As far as the content of the previous mail is concerned, I think there are > positives to be taken, many of them. We should respect those. At the same > time, the representative has a right to request Muslims not to join the > forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That doesn't mean Muslims will, > by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. It's their right to accept or > not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have a right to do, is to > explain to them why this perspective is skewed or not, depending on our > value system and judgement. > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims are traitors or not traitors. Each > individual is different, please go ahead and respect their individuality. > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 20:50:12 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:20:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Anupam   When a non-citizen comes and tells the citizens of a country that they should not (in this case) join the Military, that is problematic. Moezi is free to issue his advisories in his own country.   I was quoting this an an example of why the "loyalty of Muslim citizens to their Non-Muslim countries tends to  be viewed with suspicion?". Because by not challenging such statements and not asking such persons to not interfere in their lives as citizens, they get identified with the statements. They damn well will be looked upon with suspicions about their loyalty to the country.    Moezi advises Muslims "that their involvement in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars is forbidden by Islam."   Mark that, he does not advise that involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam.    If you think (as you seem to suggest) that Moezi is a 'peacenik', shouldnt he make a start with advising people in Iran not to join the Military in Iran.   Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill Muslims and Christians are not allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed to kill everyone else?   Let us not be naive.     """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics were “inter-mixed” because religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. And part of social issues is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of eye on political issues”. """"""   Fair enough and valid enough for your own Islamic country. I doubt it that it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic country.   Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on political issues but it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud pronouncements try to propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the Muslim citizens of a Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for those Muslims.   Kshmendra   PS. Here is a quote from a participant in the ongoing congregation of Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, ranting against the Taliban:   """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow their brand of Islam infidels, not knowing they are inviting the wrath of Allah the almighty by killing Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, """"   Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if Muslim kills Muslim. It becomes an 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim kills Non-Muslim? What defines a "holy crusade" ?   Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the Tabhligis are Sunnis. Note the identicality of attitudes.     --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty wrote: From: anupam chakravartty Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" To: "Rakesh Iyer" Cc: "sarai list" Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail report: “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go there, I don’t accept non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We say that Muslims are not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that Christians are allowed to go and kill Muslims?” The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last week of 13 American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim military psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not be used to tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim population." Dear Kshmendra, It is very clear that the appeal is not for the Muslims but for anyone who is opposed to the occupation of forces in these countries and also who are opposed to things like war in any nation. I think I can very well read it as a caution against any form of war or violence waged by anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was wrong in interpreting what this man was talking about? I am sure being a Muslim, and an Iranian is a peril in these times. Here allegiance to a flag is not the issue. In a phased manner thousands of young men are exposed to this conflict of energy-terror-security. after UK and US have been waging this war at the cost of these lives. would anyone deny the increasing number of coffins being brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan? there is no doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a fellow comrade is matter of pride and motivation, but what are these soldiers fighting for? -anupam On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: Rakesh Iyer > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > Hi (to all) > > Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail to Sarai, having read some > of the most shocking kind of statements, presented in a very dubious manner > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either traitors, or that they > can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. > > It is disgusting that some people have assumed that Muslims are loyal not to > their own conscience or even to the nations which they are citizens of, but > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to the Mullahs and Maulvis who > for them are more important than what the law of the land states. Some > people on this forum, as also elsewhere across the nation, media and among > others, have thought this to be obvious. > > It is very wrong on any basis to make such conjectures and perception-based > statements unless one has done an academic study on this issue, to find out > the effect of what such statements do, or how many among the Muslims across > different nations, not only in India, but also in Europe and others, are > actually involved in terrorist activities, or at the least, supporting the > ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I don't know myself about any > such study having been conducted in India or any other nation for that > matter; if any of you has anything or any study to prove so, please do put > it forward. > > It is also shameful that Muslims across India or other regions have to prove > their loyalty because of these shameful perceptions. It's on this perception > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is stating that UP and Bihar people > are actually taking over the jobs of the Marathis. The ironic thing is that > in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. of migrants to Mumbai is > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the largest) are from within > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which when added to Maharashtra > migrants come over to close to 60%) and then Gujarat. Where does even Bihar > come into the picture? And all these statistics are based on a UNDP-BMC > survey report which has been done recently. And the report also says that > the situation has been the same with little difference in composition of > migrants since the 1960's. > > When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama Bin > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even the > local Mullah on the street for that matter? And how many Muslims even made > that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim family which always supported > Pakistan in matches against India, but for that one family, I know of at > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to shower at Pakistan when > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. Infact, some of them even claim > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to Pakistan? (although I do agree > nuking is not what we should do) > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or anybody including the Hindu > Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the views of the Hindus. Who > are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even know what being a Hindu is, > or what Hinduism is? The same argument even extends to those who think they > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what Islam is? Have they even > studied the Koran properly, and do understand in what context what has been > said? Every person has the right to speak for himself/herself. > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even Hindus. Or Marathis. Or others. > If you want to question someone for his/her beliefs, don't ask questions to > anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume that somebody has got the > right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband conference doesn't have the > right to speak for Muslims across India, forget across even entire > South-Asian region. > > > As far as the content of the previous mail is concerned, I think there are > positives to be taken, many of them. We should respect those. At the same > time, the representative has a right to request Muslims not to join the > forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That doesn't mean Muslims will, > by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. It's their right to accept or > not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have a right to do, is to > explain to them why this perspective is skewed or not, depending on our > value system and judgement. > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims are traitors or not traitors. Each > individual is different, please go ahead and respect their individuality. > > Rakesh > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From info at fondation-langlois.org Mon Nov 16 20:54:01 2009 From: info at fondation-langlois.org (Fondation Daniel Langlois) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:24:01 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] News from the Daniel Langlois Foundation Message-ID: Paul Sermon, Telematic Vision (1993-) This documentary collection on Telematic Vision by Paul Sermon is based on an independent case study conducted by Rolf Wolfensberger in 2008 at the Museum of Communication (Berne, Switzerland), where the artwork has been part of the permanent exhibition since 2003. The case study documents this highly interactive work, not only from a technical perspective, but also by focusing on the particular audience experience in relation to the artist's intentions. Additionally, the study takes into account the technological changes undergone by the work since its creation in 1993. The present documentary collection is part of a series which includes that of The Giver of Names by David Rokeby and of Subtitled Public by Rafael Lozanno-Hemmer: http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/e/page.php?Lstsrv=200911&NumPage=2169 We would like to gather experiential accounts from people who have encountered this work over the years. All you have to do is create a user profile and post comments: http://www.fondation-langlois.org/html/e/memberMenu.php?Lstsrv=200911 From khurramparvez at yahoo.com Mon Nov 16 20:57:05 2009 From: khurramparvez at yahoo.com (Khurram Parvez) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 07:27:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?CIVIL_SOCIETY_AND_INDIA=E2=80=99S_OFFER_O?= =?utf-8?q?F_DIALOGUE?= Message-ID: <56353.90460.qm@web31814.mail.mud.yahoo.com> CIVIL SOCIETY AND INDIA’S OFFER OF DIALOGUE   On 15th of November 2009, eminent civil society individuals, representatives of various civil society groups from; Srinagar – Doda – Handwara – Islamabad – Shopian – Poonch – Baramulla – Budgam – Ganderbal – Kulgam – Bijbehara – Kupwara – Rafiabad – Uri, students from various colleges and Kashmir University, teachers, professors, representatives of various district bar associations, journalists, and poets had gathered on the invitation of Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society for a discussion on “Civil Society Concerns About Dialogue”. The participants unanimously adopted a statement of resolution:    Statement of resolution   Civil society favors the institution of dialogue for the resolution of disputes including determination of the political status of the disputed Jammu and Kashmir. We believe any dialogue must address the aspirations of the primary stakeholders – the people of Jammu and Kashmir.   We are concerned that:   The stakeholders as far as the India’s latest pronouncements are concerned are not clearly defined at all.New Delhi has not reviewed its arbitrary constitutional position on Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate any genuine dialogue process.The liberation struggle of people of Jammu and Kashmir in its historical perspective has not been acknowledged in the political processes New Delhi has conducted so far.This proposed dialogue seems to be about administrative matters, Indian security concerns and not about determining the political status/sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir. The negotiating position that a section of Kashmir’s resistance leadership is taking to the table is not clearly pronounced.  Those who intend to enter a dialogue with New Delhi are going to talk about disengagement with India in some other form than the principle of right of self-determination and relevant UN resolutions.New Delhi’s appointment of India’s Home Minister as the “point-man” on the latest offer of dialogue suggests that India is not going to address the question of sovereignty of Jammu and Kashmir but treating the issue as internal law and order affair. The agenda and format of the current dialogue offer is not transparent.The offered format is not democratic in nature as there are no inherent mechanisms to put to public vote the conclusion, if any, of the “quiet dialogue”. The conditions on ground are not conducive for any expected outcome to be implemented due to heavy military occupation of Jammu and Kashmir. The current format might dilute the international character of the Kashmir dispute rather than acknowledge it.   We resolve that:     The above concerns of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the primary stakeholders, are first addressed to in any exercise for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute including in the current proposed dialogue. The dialogue needs to be conducted under the international guarantees and all the three stakeholders, resistance leadership, India and Pakistan have to be part of it. From rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com Mon Nov 16 21:11:15 2009 From: rakesh.rnbdj at gmail.com (Rakesh Iyer) Date: Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:11:15 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Dear Kshamendra ji I have some views to express on the remarks you made: 1) I think the question has to be of freedom of speech. Since the cleric has gone to a place where there is freedom of speech and has used it to express his views, I don't think we should be critical of that fact. If you feel that the cleric has misused this freedom, then you are welcome to have the view (and you have the right as well to express it). But I don't think we can or should stop him from making that statement. And we should certainly not ban it by saying he has no business saying it. He has said it, but if we don't believe in it, we can express the same. 2) If people are suspected for being terrorists just because they don't express their opposition to it, then those considering so have some problem with their minds, and it's that which has to be tackled. Let me state as to why opposition to terrorism doesn't have to be shown publicly: i) Firstly, when you don't oppose something, it doesn't mean that you accept it or welcome that incident when it is happening or when it happens. It may be so that you are in fear and hence don't oppose. (For example, there may be Marathi manoos who may be afraid of protesting Raj Thackeray as they may fear from their lives. Does that mean Marathis welcome everything what Raj says?) Similarly, it is also possible that you may not be inclined to any political view at all, infact you may even consider politics as nonsense (which some of our elitist class also believes). There can be other possibilities as well. This is something we must take into consideration. ii) Secondly, there is no use protesting wrong doings by people who haven't taken the responsibility of protecting people. When a terrorist attacks the Taj hotel, even assuming I do oppose the terrorist action, what's the use anyway? Will the terrorists listen to me, reflect and ponder upon their action, and then decide in future not to conduct any more terror attacks? Will that happen? If that were the case, after every terror attack, we have scores of Indian politicians who are condemning terror blasts, and by this time the conscience of the terrorists should have been awakened by now. That, unfortunately, is not going to happen. Then what do we do? We question the state, which is responsible for protecting us. Since the state defines this right as per the Constitution, we ask questions as to why the state apparatus failed. Which is why there is no use saying that since Muslims don't condemn terrorist action, we should call Muslims as traitors. These are the two arguments I have for those people, who believe that Muslims should condemn traitors, or they will be considered as terrorists. 3) I think there are some interesting questions asked like 'Are Muslims allowed to kill Muslims' and others. I think what is critical is to ask people to spell out their value judgements. On that count, I feel these are nice questions, if they can help us in getting to the answer. We can at least know whether this man is a 'peacenik', or does it mean he is just saying only Muslims should not be killed. However, I am not going to read much into that other than what I have stated above. Every Muslim is not a follower of this cleric, and besides, all people are not fools. Hence, I would leave it to just questioning in order to know explicitly the values which make the person say the particular things. 4) You have stated that Islam and politics are not mixed for a non-Islamic country. You probably forgot what Gandhi had practiced in this country long before India even became independent. Not only Islam, any religion and politics are always mixed, simply because religion is political. To explain what I mean by that, it's this. Politics, according to me, is simply a few minds (and here it could be simply even two people or more than two) trying to come to a consensus or setting an agenda which is acceptable to them. Religion also does that. Which religion doesn't involve practicing politics? There's only faith which doesn't practice politics. Faith is personal, and hence can't be political. You don't force others to convert and follow your faith, you do that for religion. Gandhi is a shining example of how Hinduism was mixed in a positive manner with the freedom movement. And VHP is another example of how Hinduism can be misused to start an anti-Islamic propaganda among Hindus. 5) This is what happens if you keep quoting things completely out of context. Here is a quote from a participant in the ongoing congregation of Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, ranting against the Taliban: """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow their brand of Islam infidels, not knowing they are inviting the wrath of Allah the almighty by killing Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, """" Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if Muslim kills Muslim. It becomes an 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim kills Non-Muslim? What defines a "holy crusade" ? I have just one thing to ask. They are fighting the Taliban, and in the region they are fighting, there are only or mostly Muslims living there, with very few people belonging to other minority sections like Hindus and Christians. What's wrong if they just mention Muslims? I would request you for one more thing. Be open minded. I am sorry to mention this in public. But the fact is that you are seeing demons in places where there may or may not be demons at all. Then how can we start questioning like this? We don't know whether the participant thinks of himself as a human being or only a Muslim, and we have judged the perceptions without even thinking about it at all. What you have said may be true, but so also it may be false. What's the use of this then? We should be sure enough about the reality and the value systems a particular individual is following, before making such comments. Till we don't have proof against this participant that he only cares about Muslims not getting killed, I don't think making such allegations is fair on your part. But yes, you are free to throw this request this in the dustbin and shower abuses. A humble request to others as well. Rakesh From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Tue Nov 17 00:41:47 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:41:47 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Some interesting thoughts on ISlamic terror. In-Reply-To: References: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <925686.16303.qm@web94707.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Interestingly, we talk of seperatism, and terror alike sometimes. PArdon for being rrather simplistic but I'll leave this topic open for everyone who is interested especially my friend KK. How is terror being sponsored, or where from is terror coming. We too have Raw. India, the origin is not just Islamic states: a> The AFGAN extremists who have more grievance actually than Islam alone, this strarts from times of cold war (finally Mir never came to forefront, ever again) which makes Afganistan a backward region in the world left on it's own and hardly studied.  These people have very violent culture and the blood of Barbaric tribes, living on loot. b>  A few Oil producing nations which were the reactionary rich Oilfield owners and other Dons invested in such trade including our very own D- Company.  Geographically remarkably china is as much viable as India and definitely more than Australia, and these people have more rasons for chinese and US coming together..... But how can they annoy the supplier of Arms? Chineese have kept strange equations with whole world.... We on the other hand are influencable and volatile. Looters have sustained themselves but what finances the arms? The trade across POK-India. KAshmir is the place where the pak rupee is accepted as well. The mode of attacks in kashmir is politically very different from the attack in Mumbai. The latter was essentially economic. Muslims of India have nothing much do woth it except sometimes some of them join in. That may be pardoned beacuse Individuals tend to join in. Why do we not have clear cut policies at first stand while dealing with any region. Why are we more vulnerable than the chineese. Cant blame Islam, much can we. Rather it is the violent movements in the society itself, more clearly the mass which is robbed not only of corporal freedom but also of Expression. In Up, for example Headmen keep tigers as pets, in Delhi itself, women are kept as mortgage...  To illustratewho is worse hit: US or INDIA?  On a very differnt note, before the Recession, as a matter of fact after it, now I find two major things increasing Terror and US....  Last point if we do not treat terror very differently what is the percentage of muslim criminals to entrie criminals.......... Why do we need to Upift a society in a non interfering,class structure preserving way. Isn't ISLAMIC TERROR POLEMICS. I have very high ambitions, ecpect additions, corrections and Comments. Welcome. The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From rashneek at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 11:00:56 2009 From: rashneek at gmail.com (rashneek kher) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:56 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] United Colors of Kashmiriyat Message-ID: <13df7c120911162130i74b6a9d0vc5aca62f0160b126@mail.gmail.com> KASHMIRI PANDIT SANGARSH SAMITI Sathu Barbar Shah, Srinagar Kashmir Dated: 16.11.2009 1. Hon’ble the Prime Minister Union of India New Delhi 2. Hon’ble the Chief Minister State of Jammu and Kashmir Jammu / Srinagar. 3. Chairman, All Party Hurriyat Conference (G) Hyderpora, Srinagar 4. Chairman, All Party Hurriyat Conference (M) Raj Bagh, Srinagar. *Open Letter / Press Release* *(It is not right time of return of Migrant Kashmiri Pandits* *But it is ripe time for the left out Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley * *to choose migration with dignity)* * * Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) is working for the last more than 3 years to create a space for reconciliation between Majority Community and Minorities in the Valley and initiated the celebration of religious functions in public to play a role to bring back the co-existence environment in the Valley. From the last 2 years KPSS is also taking steps for the preservation of the religious places of the minorities and bring back them to their glory. And to make it a mark of success organized its maiden Seminar – cum – Temple Photo Exhibition on 31st March, 2009. *On 15th of November, 2009 two of our members went to Bhairav Ghat, Chattabal, Srinagar to take some pictures of the temple ruins so that its fate could be settled with the concerned authorities. But the members of the Majority Community who had encroached the temple land abstained them from taking pictures and used un-parliamentary language against the Kashmiri Pandits and the religious places. The started the slogans like “Jis tarah humne tumhare mandiroon ko Jalaya hai vaise hi tum logon ko jalayenge, aur kisi ko pata bi nahi chalega” The way we have burnt your temples in the same way we will burn you and no one will know about you. “Yehan sirf Islam Chalega” Only Islam will prevail here. “India ko lagta hai kit tum logon ko vapas layega, jo bi aaye ga mara jayega, hum log phir se gun uthayenge” India thinks that they can bring Kashmiri Pandits back to Valley, who so ever will come will die, we will again raise arms against you. The mob there even man handled the members of KPSS and they had to leave the place. Even they could not file an FIR against the mob due to the life threat given by these hooligans belonging to a particular community.* *KPSS strongly condemn the act and appeal to the Separatist leadership to look into the matter and reply back within a stipulated time that when at one hand they recommend the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley then why on the other hand their men are thirsty for KP blood. * *KPSS requests the State and Central Administration to re-think about their proposal to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley instead they should be prepared to register the fresh lot of migrants who will leave the Valley in the coming days if the situation is not taken care of in due course of time. * KPSS also appeals to the International Community to take the matter seriously and ensure that all necessary steps are taken to safe guard the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. (Sanjay K. Tickoo) President +91-9906564741 -- Rashneek Kher http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com From rohitrellan at aol.in Tue Nov 17 13:22:49 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:52:49 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Screening of The Other Song by Saba Dewan In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CC357217FDEA3C-21AC-108FE@webmail-d014.sysops.aol.com> JAMES BEVERIDGE MEDIA RESOURCE CENTRE Presents "The Other Song”  by SABA DEWAN   On November 20, 2009 at 3:00 p.m    at the JB MRC ROOM, New Building  Second Floor (New Building)  AJK MCRC Jamia Millia Islamia     The Other Song (2009) is a journey in search of a forgotten song by the famous Rasoolan Bai that leads to the uncovering of histories, memories and fragments of songs that had long been banished into oblivion. The film concludes Saba Dewan’s trilogy of films on stigmatized women and deals with the art and lives of tawaifs (courtesans).    Awarded Mecenat prize for best documentary at the Pusan International Film Festival, 2009 Saba Dewan is an independent filmmaker whose work has focused on communalism, gender, sexuality and culture. Her notable films include Dharmayuddha (Holy War, 1989), Nasoor (Festering Wound, 1990), Barf (Snow, 1994), Khel (The Play, 1996) and Sita’s Family (2001).  The two earlier films in the trilogy are Delhi –Mumbai – Delhi (2006) on the lives of bar dancers and Naach (The Dance, 2008) on the lives of women who dance in rural fairs. Saba Dewan is also a Graduate of the AJK MCRC.       From yasir.media at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 14:42:12 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:12:12 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <345019.60012.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <5af37bb0911150306l1618bff7tb2a5418ea186bef3@mail.gmail.com> <345019.60012.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911170112r4e2cfa62ydc3189d90429d467@mail.gmail.com> Dear Kshmendra, If someone kills and is a muslim, why call him a muslim. call him a killer ! I am dealing with the pakistani government and the islamists, and the militants on my own terms, as are most pakistani citizens. We really do not want hateful narratives like vadarajan's. USA is a country whose ideals are to exploit others for blood while promoting american democracy, however harmonious that sounds. Islamic ideals (if there is any such a compact thing) are something else, but certainly not something remotely close to the militants, or oddball behaviour of military psychologists. There are huge differences between the three. You are mixing the last 2. I wouldn't. best On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:28 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > Dear Yasir > > You do not kill people alongside your saying "Allahu Akbar". Do you? > > "What is the US doing in Afghanistan and Iraq" is certainly a discussion > but not the only discussion. > > For me the discussion is also the havoc wrecked in the name of Islam in > India and in Kashmir in particular. That takes primacy for me. > > I would suggest that your discussion too should be on, "the havoc wrecked > in the name of Islam in Pakistan" and also "the havoc wrecked by Pakistanis > in the name of Islam in India and elsewhere' and the support extended for > such activities by the 'Pakistani Establishment'. > > There is not much difference is there between USA interfering in other > countries in the name of "USA's Ideal" and Muslims interfering in any > country they choose to in the name of an "Islamic Ideal"? > > Kshmendra > > > > --- On *Sun, 11/15/09, yasir ~يا سر * wrote: > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. > To: "Kshmendra Kaul" > Date: Sunday, November 15, 2009, 4:36 PM > > > Dear KK, > > Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, which i have. nice fit. > needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. > > secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. It was announced on > the media channels that middle eastern folk had brought down the FBI > building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got trained by christian > militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was against the US > government, like the other christian militias in the US at the time, and FBI > and its operations against religious groups in particular, among which the > Waco, Texas massacre stood out. > > so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one can overlook at why > the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions in Iraq should justify > al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. > > there's also this very american rant: > http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort > > this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US doing in Afghanistan > and Iraq is the right discussion. > > best > > > > On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > > wrote: > >> Dear Yasir >> >> The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that they fit >> so often. >> >> It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without pondering >> over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a plausible >> one at that. >> >> It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in touch >> with Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with >> Pakistan; of Hasan in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of >> Allah). Media concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that >> might just be innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. >> >> Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian conspiracy. >> >> It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the Oklahoma >> Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a >> Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians. >> >> As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 >> >> >> Kshmendra >> >> >> --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر >> >* wrote: >> >> >> From: yasir ~يا سر > >> >> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. >> To: "sarai list" >> > >> Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM >> >> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. >> an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. >> >> this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. >> >> the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers >> I'll take it as a sorting mistake. >> >> best >> >> >> >> >> > On Wed, Nov 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM, Kshmendra Kaul < >> kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com >> > >> > wrote: >> > > 'Going Muslim' >> > > >> > > Tunku Varadarajan, 11.09.09 >> > > >> > > America after Fort Hood. >> > > >> > > "Going postal" is a piquant American phrase that describes the >> phenomenon >> > of violent rage in which a worker--archetypically a postal >> worker--"snaps" >> > and guns down his colleagues. >> > > >> > > As the enormity of the actions of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan sinks in, we >> > must ask whether we are confronting a new phenomenon of violent rage, >> one we >> > might dub--disconcertingly--"Going Muslim." This phrase would describe >> the >> > turn of events where a seemingly integrated Muslim-American--a friendly >> > donut vendor in New York, say, or an officer in the U.S. Army at Fort >> > Hood--discards his apparent integration into American society and elects >> to >> > vindicate his religion in an act of messianic violence against his >> fellow >> > Americans. This would appear to be what happened in the case of Maj. >> Hasan. >> > > >> > > The difference between "going postal," in the conventional sense, and >> > "going Muslim," in the sense that I suggest, is that there would not >> > necessarily be a psychological "snapping" point in the case of the >> > imminently violent Muslim; instead, there could be a calculated >> discarding >> > of camouflage--the camouflage of integration--in an act of revelatory >> > catharsis. In spite of suggestions by some who know him that he had a >> > history of "harassment" as a Muslim in the army, Maj. Hasan did not >> "snap" >> > in the "postal" manner. He gave away his possessions on the morning of >> his >> > day of murder. He even gave away--to a neighbor--a packet of frozen >> broccoli >> > that he did not wish to see go to waste, even as he mapped in his mind >> the >> > laying waste of lives at Fort Hood. His was a meticulous, even >> punctilious >> > "departure." >> > > >> > > We are a civilized society. One of our cardinal rules of coexistence >> is >> > that we (try always to) judge people only by their actions and not by >> their >> > identity, whether racial, religious or sexual. This is our great >> strength as >> > a society, and also, in the present circumstances, our great weakness: >> How >> > to address the threat posed by the fact that, of the hundreds of >> thousands >> > of Muslims in our midst, there are a few (perhaps many more than a few) >> who >> > are so radicalized that they would kill their fellow Americans? Must we >> > continue to be neutral in handling all people from different groups even >> > though we know that there are differential risks posed by people of one >> > group? The problem here is a heightened version of the airport security >> > problem, where we check all people--including Chinese >> > grandmothers--regardless of risk profiles. But can we afford that on a >> > grand, national scale? (And I mean that question not merely in a >> financial >> > sense, but also in terms >> > of >> > > the price we'd pay in failing to detect a threat in time.) >> > > >> > > This being America, we will insist on going a long way to preserve the >> > appearance of equality, and that is no bad thing in terms of moral >> > principle. But like all values, the appearance of equality is not >> infinite >> > in its appeal--especially if it flies in the face of common sense and >> > self-preservation. A short time after the shootings at Fort Hood, >> President >> > Obama asked us not to jump to conclusions. To many Americans, this was a >> > grating request, of a piece with the political correctness that was >> > responsible--it has emerged--for the hands-off treatment by the Army of >> Maj. >> > Hasan. How else could he have been left in the position of treating U.S. >> > troops, given the stories we've now heard about his incendiary >> statements >> > and apparent incompetence? >> > > >> > > This is the same mindset that led the FBI to deny the possibility that >> > the Fort Hood massacre was linked to terrorism even before they could >> have >> > had any idea that was the case. We don't have to be paranoid about Arab >> > males; we just have to avoid the opposite: Being fearful of coming >> across as >> > Islamophobic, and thereby failing to look straight at a situation. >> > > >> > > This is part of a larger--and too-hot-to-touch--American problem, >> which >> > is the privileging of religion, and its frequent exemption from rules of >> > normal discourse. Muslims may be more extreme because their religion is >> > founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels and an obligation >> for >> > piety that is more extensive than in other schemes. President Obama was >> as >> > craven as a community college diversity vice-president when he said that >> no >> > one should jump to conclusions. Everyone did, and he lost credibility >> with >> > people who cannot stand civic piety in the face of the murderous kind. >> > > >> > > Muslims are the most difficult "incomers" in the ongoing integration >> > challenge, which America has always handled with pride--and a kind of >> > swagger. We're the salad bowl/melting pot. Drive through Queens to see >> how >> > we do this. >> > > >> > > America differentiates itself on integration from Western European >> > countries, which are far more cringing and guilt-driven in their >> approach. >> > But can the American swagger persist if many Americans come genuinely to >> > view Muslims as Fifth Columnists? The integration compact depends on a >> broad >> > trust that the immigrant's desire to be American can happily co-exist >> with >> > his other forms of racial/cultural/religious identity. Once that trust >> > doesn't exist, America faces a problem in need of urgent resolution. >> > > >> > > Have we reached that point of breakdown in trust? Not yet, I think, >> and >> > not by some distance; but a few more murderous incidents of the Maj. >> Hasan >> > variety--a few more shouts of "Allahu Akbar" as Americans are shot >> > dead--will push many Americans on to a dangerous cusp. >> > > >> > > I will end on a practical note. The PC--political correctness--problem >> is >> > an obvious and thorny issue that the U.S. Army, at least, has to tackle. >> The >> > Army had a self-identified Islamic fundamentalist in its midst, blogging >> > about suicide bombings and telling everyone he hated the Army's mission; >> and >> > yet, they did, or could do, nothing about it. In effect, the >> > "don't-jump-to-conclusions" mentality was underway long before this man >> > killed his colleagues. >> > > >> > > So, first, it should be part of the mandatory duty of every member of >> the >> > armed forces to report any remarks or behavior of fellow service members >> > that could be construed as indicating unfitness for duty for any reason. >> > > >> > > Second, there should be a duty to report such data up the chain of >> > command, regardless of the assessment of the local commander. >> > > >> > > Third, there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department >> > that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground >> for >> > alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement >> of >> > suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness. >> > > >> > > Let the first lesson of the Hasan atrocity be this: The U.S. Army has >> to >> > be a PC-free zone. Our democracy and our way of life depend on it. >> > > >> > > (Tunku Varadarajan, a professor at NYU's Stern Business School and a >> > fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution, is executive editor for >> opinions at >> > Forbes. He writes a weekly column for Forbes. (Follow him on Twitter, >> here.) >> > > >> > > >> > >> http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > _________________________________________ >> > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> > > Critiques & Collaborations >> > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.netwith >> > subscribe in the subject header. >> > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> > > List archive: >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > _________________________________________ >> > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> > Critiques & Collaborations >> > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.netwith >> > subscribe in the subject header. >> > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> > List archive: >> > >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.netwith subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> >> > > From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 14:47:16 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:47:16 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Under renewed threats, pandits may flee the Valley Message-ID: <6353c690911170117i2e98aad9hd653f05c528061c6@mail.gmail.com> Under renewed threats, pandits may flee the Valley Peerzada Ashiq , Hindustan Times Link - http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/jandk/Under- renewed-threats-pandits-may-flee-the-Valley/Article1-477268.aspx Kashmiri Pandits, who braved on in the valley at the height of militant violence in 1989, are now scared. After threats to their life came from members of the majority community in the Kashmir valley. Threatening to migrate now, Sanjay K. Tickoo, who heads the Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), said the Samiti members were attacked on Sunday by five to six persons from the majority community when the pandits were clicking pictures of a temple at Chattabal. "It was 386th temple which we wanted to document through pictures for restoring it. But five six members from the majority community came and threatened us," Tickoo told the Hindustan Times. "The villagers who had gathered at the spot did not intervene. This shows that the attitude towards the minority community has not changed." Tickoo said these men used the words like "Jis tarah humne tumhare mandiroon ko Jalaya hai vaise hi tum logon ko jalayenge, aur kisi ko pata bi nahi chalega (The way we have burnt your temples, in the same way we will burn you and no one will know about you). Yehan sirf Islam Chalega (Only Islam will prevail here). India ko lagta hai kit tum logon ko vapas layega, jo bi aaye ga mara jayega, hum log phir se gun uthayenge (India thinks that they can bring Kashmiri Pandits back to Valley, who so ever will come will die, we will again raise arms against you)." Tickoo said the men manhandled the members of the KPSS. "We had to leave the place." The Samiti has now sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in the matter. It has also written to the both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, which had promised them security. "We will also send a memorandum to the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tomorrow," said Tickoo. The KPSS requested the state and Central administration to re-think their proposal to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. They should instead the prepare to register the fresh lot of migrants who will leave the Valley in the coming days if the situation is not taken care of in due course of time, the Samiti leader said. Check the Open Letter here - www.kashmiris-in-exile.blo gspot.com/ From yasir.media at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 15:11:24 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:41:24 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: 10 suicides a month at Fort Hood In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5af37bb0911170141h59ceec96mdfa2290560f5e8fc@mail.gmail.com> http://www.alternet.org/story/143837/ www.alternet.org/.../10_suicides_a_month_at_ft._hood_--_war_stress_is_taking_soldiers_to_the_brink?. *10 Suicides a Month at Ft. Hood – War Stress Is Taking Soldiers to the Brink* *By Dahr Jamail, Asia Times Posted on November 10, 2009, Printed on November 11, 2009* *Editor's Note: This Tuesday, President Obama attended a memorial service for the shootings at Ft. Hood last Friday. He called the attack "incomprehensible," when in fact it's quite easy to comprehend. Obama would do well to consider that the war policies he's continuing, extending the occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan, are the underlying cause of acts of madness and desperation by soldiers at Ft. Hood. As Dahr Jamail illustrates in the article below, this one military post alone is averaging 10 suicides a month so far this year. * PHOENIX, Arizona - While investigators probe for a motive behind the mass shooting at the Fort Hood military base in Texas last Thursday, in which an army psychiatrist killed 13 people, military personnel at the base are in shock as the incident "brings the war home". "We're all in shock," said Specialist Michael Kern, an active-duty veteran of the Iraq war, told Inter Press Service (IPS) by telephone. Kern, who is based at Fort Hood, served in Iraq from March 2007 to March 2008. "Every single person that I've talked to is in shock," Kern added. "I'm surprised this hits so close to home, but at the same time, I knew something like this was going to happen given what else is happening - the war is coming home, and something needs to be done. Innocent civilians are being wounded and killed here at home by soldiers, and this is completely unacceptable," he said. The gunman, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, entered a Soldier Readiness Center (SRC), where troops get medical evaluations and complete paperwork just prior to being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, and opened fire with two non-military issued handguns. Hasan killed 13 people, 12 of them soldiers, and wounded over 30 others, before being shot four times by a civilian police officer. Hasan is now in stable condition in a local hospital, where he is in the custody of military authorities. Colonel John Rossi, a spokesman at Fort Hood, told reporters that Hasan was "stable and in one of our civilian hospitals". Rossi added, "He's on a ventilator." Hasan, 39, joined the army just out of high school. He had counseled wounded war veterans at Walter Reed Hospital, and was transferred to Fort Hood in April. He had recently received orders to deploy to Afghanistan. His cousin, Nader Hasan, has said in media interviews that Hasan was very reluctant to be deployed overseas and had agitated not to be sent. "We've known over the last five years that was probably his worst nightmare," he said. Responding to the allegations in the media that the attack was based on his Muslim faith, Kern told IPS that he did not know of anyone on the base who felt this was the case. "We all wear the same uniform here, it's all green. I've seen the news, but most folks here assume it's just a soldier that snapped," Kern explained. "I have not talked to anyone who thinks what he did has anything to do with him being a Muslim. There are thousands of Muslims serving with dignity in the US military, in all four branches." Fort Hood, located in central Texas, is one of the largest US military bases in the world. It contains up to 50,000 soldiers, and is one of the most heavily deployed to both occupations. Tragically, Fort Hood has also born much of the brunt from its heavy involvement in the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Fort Hood soldiers have accounted for more suicides than any other army post since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. This year alone, the base is averaging over 10 suicides each month - at least 75 have been recorded through July of this year alone. In a strikingly similar incident on May 11, 2009, a US soldier gunned down five fellow soldiers at a stress-counseling center at a US base in Baghdad. Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at a news conference at the Pentagon at the time that the shootings had occurred in a place where "individuals were seeking help". Mullen added, "It does speak to me, though, about the need for us to redouble our efforts, the concern in terms of dealing with the stress ... It also speaks to the issue of multiple deployments." Commenting on the incident in nearly parallel terms, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that the Pentagon needs to redouble its efforts to relieve stress caused by repeated deployments in war zones that is further exacerbated by limited time at home in between deployments. The condition described by Mullen and Gates is what veteran health experts often refer to as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. While soldiers returning home are routinely involved in shootings, suicide and other forms of self-destructive violent behaviors as a direct result of their experiences in Iraq, we have yet to see an event of this magnitude on a base in the US. To many, the shocking story of a soldier killing five of his comrades did not come as a surprise considering that the military has, for years now, been sending troops with untreated PTSD back into the US occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. According to an Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center analysis, reported in the Denver Post in August 2008, more than "43,000 service members - two-thirds of them in the army or army reserve - were classified as non-deployable for medical reasons three months before they deployed" to Iraq. In April 2008, the Rand Corporation released a stunning report revealing that, "Nearly 20% of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan - 300,000 in all -- report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought treatment." President Barack Obama, speaking during an event at the Department of the Interior in Washington, said that the mass shooting at Fort Hood was a "horrific outburst of violence". He added: "It is horrifying that they [US soldiers] should come under fire at an army base on American soil." Victor Agosto, an Iraq war veteran who was discharged from the military after publicly refusing to deploy to Afghanistan, has had first-hand experience with the SRC at Fort Hood, where he too was based. "I knew there would be a confrontation when I was there, because the only reason to do that process is to deploy," Agosto, speaking to IPS near Fort Hood, explained. Agosto was court-martialed for refusing an order to go to the SRC to prepare to deploy to Afghanistan. "I was court-martialed for refusing the order to SRC in that very same building. I didn't enter the building, but I didn't go in because I was refusing the process," Agosto continued. "It's a pretty important place in my life, so it's interesting to me that this happened there." *Dahr Jamail is an independent journalist who reports from Iraq. * © 2009 Asia Times All rights reserved. -- This is the People's Resistance Mailing List From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 17 15:44:26 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:14:26 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] United Colors of Kashmiriyat In-Reply-To: <13df7c120911162130i74b6a9d0vc5aca62f0160b126@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <954061.51706.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Sanjay Tickoo must be (choose your option):   - Indian Agent  - Agent of Hindutvavadis - Zionist Agent - American Agent   Dear Rashneek   I have been a strong and outspoken votary of the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland Kashmir; to live as a minority and at peace with everyone else in Kashmir.     Such reports makes me wonder.   Kshmendra --- On Tue, 11/17/09, rashneek kher wrote: From: rashneek kher Subject: [Reader-list] United Colors of Kashmiriyat To: "reader-list" Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 11:00 AM KASHMIRI PANDIT SANGARSH SAMITI Sathu Barbar Shah, Srinagar Kashmir Dated: 16.11.2009 1.         Hon’ble the Prime Minister             Union of India             New Delhi 2.         Hon’ble the Chief Minister             State of Jammu and Kashmir             Jammu / Srinagar. 3.         Chairman, All Party Hurriyat Conference (G)             Hyderpora, Srinagar 4.         Chairman,             All Party Hurriyat Conference (M)             Raj Bagh, Srinagar. *Open Letter / Press Release* *(It is not right time of return of Migrant Kashmiri Pandits* *But it is ripe time for the left out Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley * *to choose migration with dignity)* * *                         Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) is working for the last more than 3 years to create a space for reconciliation between Majority Community and Minorities in the Valley and initiated the celebration of religious functions in public to play a role to bring back the co-existence environment in the Valley.                         From the last 2 years KPSS is also taking steps for the preservation of the religious places of the minorities and bring back them to their glory. And to make it a mark of success organized its maiden Seminar – cum – Temple Photo Exhibition on 31st March, 2009.                         *On 15th of November, 2009 two of our members went to Bhairav Ghat, Chattabal, Srinagar to take some pictures of the temple ruins so that its fate could be settled with the concerned authorities. But the members of the Majority Community who had encroached the temple land abstained them from taking pictures and used un-parliamentary language against the Kashmiri Pandits and the religious places. The started the slogans like “Jis tarah humne tumhare mandiroon ko Jalaya hai vaise hi tum logon ko jalayenge, aur kisi ko pata bi nahi chalega” The way we have burnt your temples in the same way we will burn you and no one will know about you. “Yehan sirf Islam Chalega” Only Islam will prevail here. “India ko lagta hai kit tum logon ko vapas layega, jo bi aaye ga mara jayega, hum log phir se gun uthayenge” India thinks that they can bring Kashmiri Pandits back to Valley, who so ever will come will die, we will again raise arms against you. The mob there even man handled the members of KPSS and they had to leave the place. Even they could not file an FIR against the mob due to the life threat given by these hooligans belonging to a particular community.*                         *KPSS strongly condemn the act and appeal to the Separatist leadership to look into the matter and reply back within a stipulated time that when at one hand they recommend the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley then why on the other hand their men are thirsty for KP blood. * *KPSS requests the State and Central Administration to re-think about their proposal to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley instead they should be  prepared to register the fresh lot of migrants who will leave the Valley in the coming days if the situation is not taken care of in due course of time. * KPSS also appeals to the International Community to take the matter seriously and ensure that all necessary steps are taken to safe guard the Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. (Sanjay K. Tickoo) President +91-9906564741 -- Rashneek Kher http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com http://www.nietzschereborn.blogspot.com _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 17 16:20:00 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:50:00 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Who is Sanjay Tickoo? (Re: Under renewed threats, pandits may flee the Valley) In-Reply-To: <6353c690911170117i2e98aad9hd653f05c528061c6@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <681339.87752.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> This significance of this report comes from recognising that Sanjay Tickoo, and his organisation KPSS seem to have been driven to the edge.   It is important to understand "Who is Sanjay Tickoo?"    Sanjay Tickoo, who lives in Kashmir, has often been castigated and reviled by other Kashmiri Pandits for his advocacy that Kashmiri Pandits should return to Kashmir to live in peace and brotherhood with the Kashmiri Muslims.   Sanjay's organisation (quoting) "The KPSS is also critical of hard-line Pandit organisations like Panun Kashmir and Roots in Kashmir, because of their demand for a separate homeland in Kashmir, northeast of the Jhelum"   Sanjay Tickoo (and KPSS) have often made overtures to the Islamic Separatists in Kashmir, even asking for their protection and requesting that the KPs who continue to live in Kashmir should not been seen as supporting any particular side in the politics of Kashmir.    The August 2008 TEHELKA article reproduced below might give a better understanding of Sanjay Tickoo and the significance of :   """""" The KPSS requested the state and Central administration to re-think their proposal to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. They should instead the prepare to register the fresh lot of migrants who will leave the Valley in the coming days if the situation is not taken care of in due course of time, the Samiti leader said."""""""   Kshmendra     Divided House, Delayed Return   Deep fissures in the Kashmiri Pandit community stand in the way of government efforts to rehabilitate them, reports PEERZADA ARSHAD HAMID   SANJAY TIKOO, a Kashmiri Pandit living in Barbar Shah, Srinagar, braved all odds and remained in the valley when thousands of Pandits left their motherland. It was 1990 and the armed insurgency in Kashmir had begun, followed by press releases in newspapers ordering Hindus to leave.   The Tikoo family were defiant and resolute. They would not migrate. They weathered the pressure and fear and lived on in their ancestral home. Eighteen years later, those days remain vivid for Sanjay. He clearly remembers the prolonged strike calls, the curfews and, above all, the migration of fellow Pandits from the valley.   Sanjay credits his mother for the decision. “I thank the women of my house and, particularly, my mother, who gave her steadfast support to our decision. If either she or my sister had shown even the slightest weakness, we too would have fled, forced to uproot ourselves,” muses Sanjay.   The Tikoos were soon singled out. A threatening letter was nailed to the entrance of their house. Sanjay clearly remembers that fateful day.   “It was July 16, 1990. I had gone to the top floor of my house to smoke a cigarette. While pacing up and down, I saw a group of people reading something on our gate. I rushed down and brought the message in,” recalls Sanjay.   At about the same time, posters purportedly written by militants became ubiquitous. Along with threats such as the one Sanjay’s family received, they contained strike calls and reports of militant activities. Disturbed, Sanjay discussed the letter with his family and then approached a local Urdu newspaper, which published the letter along with his family’s decision: they would not leave the valley and were willing to face the consequences. Thereafter, a group of militants belonging to the Al-Umar Commandos approached the family and denied having issued the letter. This increased the confidence of the family and encouraged them to stay back.   The relief department of the state government estimates that 56,148 families, including a few Muslim families — approximately 2.5 lakh people — migrated from their homes following the armed insurgency during the period 1989- 92. Of this, 34,690 families went to Jammu and 19,338 to New Delhi. While police records say 209 Pandits were killed in Kashmir in the past 18 years, Pandit organisations put the figure at about 1,100. An estimated 20,000 Pandit families, however, preferred to stay.   These people occupied scattered pockets in urban and rural areas, detached from each other. This forsaken community faced difficulties in their social life that were felt acutely during marriages, religious functions and, most of all, when performing the last rites for their dead.   “During the initial years, finding brides for our sons was difficult as few migrants were ready to send their daughters back to the valley. There were no priests to perform prayers. However, the situation is now improving and people don’t consider marriages to families in the valley that dangerous,” Tikoo says.   Sanjay initiated efforts to unite Pandit families and strengthen their interaction. He and his friends founded the Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti (KPSS), which is undertaking a census of Pandits in the valley. They advocate the safe return of Pandits and oppose government plans to give Pandits high-security residential flats.   “The government has constructed separate buildings and has given CRPF security to them. However, this is an effort to create a Palestine- Israel type divide in Kashmir,” asserts Tikoo.   The KPSS is also critical of hard-line Pandit organisations like Panun Kashmir and Roots in Kashmir, because of their demand for a separate homeland in Kashmir, northeast of the Jhelum. The KPSS considers Kashmir a political problem and a dispute between India and Pakistan.   Panun Kashmir believes that the insurgency was a communal riot engineered by Islamic fundamentalists to drive the minority Hindus from the valley. They accuse Muslims of ethnic cleansing. Panun Kashmir has demanded land along the Jhelum in south Kashmir to be secured to build colonies for Pandits. The group also wants this zone to be made a Union Territory.   “Our community has suffered badly. We have been uprooted from our homeland and unless adequate arrangements are made, we won’t go back and will continue our fight for our rights. Residential flats are not the solution — that’s just moving us from one camp to another. Our return to our motherland should be final and secure, so that we will not be forced to leave again,” asserts Ajay Chrangoo, Chairman, Panun Kashmir. Chrangoo has been living in Jammu since his migration and strongly advocates a separate homeland.   Chrangoo refers to flats constructed at Mattan in South Kashmir and at Sheikhpora on the outskirts of Srinagar that the state government has spent crores on, in order to coax Pandits to return. No Jammu Pandits were ready to return here, and most flats remain locked.   Another voice representing the migrant community is the All India Kashmiri Samaj. Headed by Ram Krishan Bhat, it works to keep the Kashmiri sentiment alive among Pandit youth. Though he praises the Pandits who remained in the valley and calls them “daring”, he says their continued presence in the valley is not enough to convince other Pandits to return.   Chrangoo disagrees. “There is nothing special in some Pandits staying back. While some members of the community stay behind in conflict zones where there is a mass exodus, this can’t obscure the bigger picture — the fact that most Pandits have fled. Moreover, those who remain, remain in fear,” he adds. THE LARGE numbers of Pandit groups — representing migrants and non-migrants — claiming to fight for the rights of Pandits have confused people both in India and abroad. The clamour of voices has added to the complexity of the issue. While all groups claim to represent the aspirations of Kashmiri Pandits, all of them differ on when, where and how Pandits should return. “Pandits are as divided as the Muslims are,” quips Sanjay Tikoo.   Sanjay Saraf, a migrant politician, adds another dimension to the debate. Saraf plans to contest the coming assembly elections and is state president of the Lok Jan Shakti Party.   Recently, national and regional parties from outside the state have started making inroads here. The elections will see candidates from the SP and the BSP, who have held rallies in Srinagar.   Saraf, however, relies more on Muslim votes than on Pandit ones. Though he is a migrant, he has been visiting the valley regularly for the past seven years for party meetings and constituency visits. He is critical of Panun Kashmir and Roots in Kashmir that are headquartered outside Kashmir and describes them as stooges of fundamentalist forces. “They are dancing to the tune of the BJP and the VHP and are trying to create a communal wedge,” Saraf alleges.   The divide among Pandits deepened during the recent crisis over land for the Amarnath shrine board. While most Pandit organisations based in Jammu and New Delhi favoured the transfer of land to the board, the valley-based KPSS stood alone in its demand for the pilgrimage to be placed under resident Kashmiri Pandit organisations. Saraf supported this demand from the beginning. “Pandits cannot remain outside the valley and pay mere lip service to the cause. We have to be here to say we belong to the land. Raising a hue and cry while staying outside hardly matters,” avers Sanjay Saraf, while acknowledging KPSS’ efforts.   Ideological differences have increased the divide between migrant Pandits and those who stayed back. Eighteen years after Pandits fled the valley, various groups continue to pursue their own agendas and a consensus remains elusive.   WRITER’S E-MAIL peerzadaarshad at gmail.com >From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 5, Issue 31, Dated Aug 09, 2008   http://tehelka.com/story_main40.asp?filename=Ne090808divided_house.asp   --- On Tue, 11/17/09, Aditya Raj Kaul wrote: From: Aditya Raj Kaul Subject: [Reader-list] Under renewed threats, pandits may flee the Valley To: "sarai list" Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 2:47 PM Under renewed threats, pandits may flee the Valley Peerzada Ashiq , Hindustan Times Link - http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/jandk/Under- renewed-threats-pandits-may-flee-the-Valley/Article1-477268.aspx Kashmiri Pandits, who braved on in the valley at the height of militant violence in 1989, are now scared. After threats to their life came from members of the majority community in the Kashmir valley. Threatening to migrate now, Sanjay K. Tickoo, who heads the Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), said the Samiti members were attacked on Sunday by five to six persons from the majority community when the pandits were clicking pictures of a temple at Chattabal. "It was 386th temple which we wanted to document through pictures for restoring it. But five six members from the majority community came and threatened us," Tickoo told the Hindustan Times. "The villagers who had gathered at the spot did not intervene. This shows that the attitude towards the minority community has not changed." Tickoo said these men used the words like "Jis tarah humne tumhare mandiroon ko Jalaya hai vaise hi tum logon ko jalayenge, aur kisi ko pata bi nahi chalega (The way we have burnt your temples, in the same way we will burn you and no one will know about you). Yehan sirf Islam Chalega (Only Islam will prevail here). India ko lagta hai kit tum logon ko vapas layega, jo bi aaye ga mara jayega, hum log phir se gun uthayenge (India thinks that they can bring Kashmiri Pandits back to Valley, who so ever will come will die, we will again raise arms against you)." Tickoo said the men manhandled the members of the KPSS. "We had to leave the place." The Samiti has now sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention in the matter. It has also written to the both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, which had promised them security. "We will also send a memorandum to the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front and the Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq tomorrow," said Tickoo. The KPSS requested the state and Central administration to re-think their proposal to bring back the Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley. They should instead the prepare to register the fresh lot of migrants who will leave the Valley in the coming days if the situation is not taken care of in due course of time, the Samiti leader said. Check the Open Letter here - www.kashmiris-in-exile.blo gspot.com/ _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From c.anupam at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 17:14:05 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:14:05 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: References: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911170344o7c0cd424v4c21c401bb078689@mail.gmail.com> Dear Kshmendra, "Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on political issues but it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud pronouncements try to propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the Muslim citizens of a Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for those Muslims." Sir if u could explain the presence of American troops in Indian Ocean. What do they want here? Geo-politically strategic mumbo jumbo is helpful to please a certain category of intellectuals. But please spare this lay person from buying this argument here. Thanks Anupam From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 17 18:06:16 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:36:16 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <341380d00911170344o7c0cd424v4c21c401bb078689@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <526371.73104.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Anupam Sir!   How is the presence of USA in the Indian Ocean pertinent to what we were talking about?   Rhetorical question maybe. Perhaps you have picked on the reference to keeping an "eye".   If so you are mixing up two dissimilar entities. USA is a country. Islam is not a country.   The presence of USA in Indian Ocean is in International Waters. Not different from the globe circumventing "eyes in the sky".    Any country is at liberty to have their presence there. I do not know of any instance in the recent past where one country has told others that they alone have the right to be present in International Waters or in the realm of Space beyond the Air Space of individual countries.    USA also has bases in the India Ocean (and other oceans). Those are by mutual agreement between countries. Again, any country is at liberty to enter into such agreements.   I am not here trying to justify the presence of USA in the Indian Ocean or in elsewhere oceans or in Afghanistan or Iraq.   My point is that arrangements exist between countries on a mutual basis or by International pacts. Arrangements do not exist between a country (or countries) and Islam or for that matter with any other religion.   Here perhaps lies a clue to the suspicions earlier spoken about.    If Islam is projected as being a State of it's own, a monolithic entity, that has the right to transgress boundaries boundaries between countries, then it will be treated with suspicion as a Non-State actor. It appertains unto itself rights by self-volition and not by mutual consent.   This leads to a logical question, which I already addressed in a earlier mail to Yasir. I wrote:  """""" There is not much difference is there between USA interfering in other countries in the name of "USA's Ideal" and Muslims interfering in any country they choose to in the name of an "Islamic Ideal"? """"""" Interference in affairs of a country, by word or action by Non-State actors in the name of the Non-State entity of Islam (or any other religion) becomes problematic.   Hope I made some sense.   Kshmendra  --- On Tue, 11/17/09, anupam chakravartty wrote: From: anupam chakravartty Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" To: "Rakesh Iyer" Cc: "Kshmendra Kaul" , "sarai list" Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 5:14 PM Dear Kshmendra, "Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on political issues but it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud pronouncements try to propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the Muslim citizens of a Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for those Muslims." Sir if u could explain the presence of American troops in Indian Ocean. What do they want here? Geo-politically strategic mumbo jumbo is helpful to please a certain category of intellectuals. But please spare this lay person from buying this argument here. Thanks Anupam From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 17 19:58:30 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:28:30 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Some interesting thoughts on ISlamic terror. In-Reply-To: <925686.16303.qm@web94707.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <111007.93982.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Subhrodip   This is only sharing of some thoughts based on what you have expressed.   1. Separatism is the desire for territorial independence. Terrorising might be just way of following up on that desire. The two need not neccessarily go together. But when "terror" is used then of course the two will be read together   2. There could be a variety of reasons why a group would seek "separatism". Any such demand would have its own unique justifications forwarded. In my opinion it would be foolish to generalise reasons. That is the "separatism seekers"   3. Then there are the "separatism deniers" who present their own justifications for why they think the desire of "separatism" is not justified.   4. Where does the decision to use "terror" come from? I would say it emanates from ideology driven thinking. It also comes from greed (which I would say is not an ideology)   5. Who sponsors or indulges in "terror"? It could be (and as we have seen enough evidence of) both the State and Non-State actors.   6. Does RAW indulge in or sponsor "terror". It would not be surprising at all if they do. Pakistan is convinced that it is being done by India (RAW) in Balochistan.   7. I do not disagree with you that the Afghan "extremists" have grieviances and that their acts of violence are not driven purely by subscribing to Islam.   8. I do not agree with you that the actions of the Afghans come from their being "Barbaric tribes".       The Afghans still follow the "tribal" system and have their own precepts and rules that are still rooted in traditional mores. Amongst the Afghans themselves there are some who would like this to change.        On a personal note, I have interacted with many Afghans through the range of levels of "modernity" and "backwardness". They are very loving people and make excellent friends. Afghans are known for their Loyalty and Honesty and I can only confirm that.  Tagore's 'Kabulivaala' was not a fantasy.         Again on a personal note, I see no difference in Death Penalty carried out by Lethal Injection; or by Electric Chair; or by Gallows; or by Public Beheading By Sword.   9. In my opinion, the Islamic Revolution in Iran and Iran standing up to USA created an aura about Iran which they capitalised on by working on creating areas of influence in various parts of the World. Iran being Shia, this was not acceptable to the Sunni Saudi Arabia who started countering this by similar efforts amongst Sunnis. Each wanted to impress that they best represent True Islam.      So I agree with you that the Oil Producing Nations (primarily Saudi Arabia and Iran) got involved in such propagations (of Islam) and supporting with finance such actions that got recognised as "terrorism".   10. Islam will be blamed only to the extent that Muslims themselves allow Islam to be blamed by their words and actions.        This is not any different from the people of any other religion. They will be judged (by others) on the basis of how they execute their "religosity" in word and action.        A Hindu might say a million times over that Hinduism does not justify Caste-Discrimination; or Sati; or Child Sacrifice; or Dowry. A Hindu might implore Non-Hindus to read the Vedas and Upanishads to get a true understanding of Hinduism. Non-Hindus will however judge Hindus and Hinduism by how they live their "religosity" in word and action.        Similarly, Islam and Muslims will be judged by Non-Muslims on the basis of how Muslims live their "religosity" by word and action.         It is more than likely that the words and actions of a few will get identified as being representative of the whole group, whether it is Hindus and Hinduism or Muslims and Islam.   11. Does the state-of-the-society drive people to adopt violence? Certainly does. Agree with you on that. Time does not allow U-Turns and when hope becomes a blind alley, then people will try to tear down walls and uproot foundations.   Tried my best to share thoughts where I thought I could   Take care   Kshmendra   --- On Tue, 11/17/09, subhrodip sengupta wrote: From: subhrodip sengupta Subject: [Reader-list] Some interesting thoughts on ISlamic terror. To: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 12:41 AM Interestingly, we talk of seperatism, and terror alike sometimes. PArdon for being rrather simplistic but I'll leave this topic open for everyone who is interested especially my friend KK. How is terror being sponsored, or where from is terror coming. We too have Raw. India, the origin is not just Islamic states: a> The AFGAN extremists who have more grievance actually than Islam alone, this strarts from times of cold war (finally Mir never came to forefront, ever again) which makes Afganistan a backward region in the world left on it's own and hardly studied.  These people have very violent culture and the blood of Barbaric tribes, living on loot. b>  A few Oil producing nations which were the reactionary rich Oilfield owners and other Dons invested in such trade including our very own D- Company.  Geographically remarkably china is as much viable as India and definitely more than Australia, and these people have more rasons for chinese and US coming together..... But how can they annoy the supplier of Arms? Chineese have kept strange equations with whole world.... We on the other hand are influencable and volatile. Looters have sustained themselves but what finances the arms? The trade across POK-India. KAshmir is the place where the pak rupee is accepted as well. The mode of attacks in kashmir is politically very different from the attack in Mumbai. The latter was essentially economic. Muslims of India have nothing much do woth it except sometimes some of them join in. That may be pardoned beacuse Individuals tend to join in. Why do we not have clear cut policies at first stand while dealing with any region. Why are we more vulnerable than the chineese. Cant blame Islam, much can we. Rather it is the violent movements in the society itself, more clearly the mass which is robbed not only of corporal freedom but also of Expression. In Up, for example Headmen keep tigers as pets, in Delhi itself, women are kept as mortgage...  To illustratewho is worse hit: US or INDIA?  On a very differnt note, before the Recession, as a matter of fact after it, now I find two major things increasing Terror and US....  Last point if we do not treat terror very differently what is the percentage of muslim criminals to entrie criminals.......... Why do we need to Upift a society in a non interfering,class structure preserving way. Isn't ISLAMIC TERROR POLEMICS. I have very high ambitions, ecpect additions, corrections and Comments. Welcome.       The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From c.anupam at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 20:03:36 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:03:36 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <526371.73104.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <341380d00911170344o7c0cd424v4c21c401bb078689@mail.gmail.com> <526371.73104.qm@web57203.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911170633s67ef3fdfr7149a725671ca41@mail.gmail.com> Dear Kshmendra, There is no point in arguing about this. It is unfortunate you readily accept the excesses made by the Americans and British present in South Asia and other parts but you are not comfortable when someone from Iran makes a statement through an interview initiated by the newspaper itself. The question of interference versus opinion comes up here. If i go by your virtues of interference and international treaties and who should speak and who should not speak, should I not call your opinions or mine to have no bearing on any of these events? what made you post this particular news item on this list Kshmendra? The answer to that depends on the precise world view that you have and that I have, if i were get a little personal on this reply. It looks like there is a deliberate attempt on your part to ignore the Energy-Security-Terror conflict in this region and make it seem more like a religious crusade (just an observation from the type of arguments that you have been posting here). Must I not say that you want the same things as or what fundamental islamists want to establish -- that the fight is about my religion (though you may be on the other extreme of the conflict). I do respect the sovereignty of US like i respect that of Tibet, so I would not like be to lectured about mixing up religion and a country. I condemn the acts in Iran but I also condemn the acts in Afghanistan and Iraq by all the stakeholders, be it the islamist or the americans. there are people above these labels. would you like accept that as a fact or is it too cliched fro you? - with warm regards Anupam On 11/17/09, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > Dear Anupam Sir! > > How is the presence of USA in the Indian Ocean pertinent to what we were > talking about? > > Rhetorical question maybe. Perhaps you have picked on the reference to > keeping an "eye". > > If so you are mixing up two dissimilar entities. USA is a country. Islam is > not a country. > > The presence of USA in Indian Ocean is in International Waters. Not > different from the globe circumventing "eyes in the sky". > > Any country is at liberty to have their presence there. I do not know of any > instance in the recent past where one country has told others that they > alone have the right to be present in International Waters or in the realm > of Space beyond the Air Space of individual countries. > > USA also has bases in the India Ocean (and other oceans). Those are by > mutual agreement between countries. Again, any country is at liberty to > enter into such agreements. > > I am not here trying to justify the presence of USA in the Indian Ocean or > in elsewhere oceans or in Afghanistan or Iraq. > > My point is that arrangements exist between countries on a mutual basis or > by International pacts. Arrangements do not exist between a country (or > countries) and Islam or for that matter with any other religion. > > Here perhaps lies a clue to the suspicions earlier spoken about. > > If Islam is projected as being a State of it's own, a monolithic entity, > that has the right to transgress boundaries boundaries between countries, > then it will be treated with suspicion as a Non-State actor. It appertains > unto itself rights by self-volition and not by mutual consent. > > This leads to a logical question, which I already addressed in a earlier > mail to Yasir. I wrote: > > """""" There is not much difference is there between USA interfering in > other > countries in the name of "USA's Ideal" and Muslims interfering in any > country they choose to in the name of an "Islamic Ideal"? """"""" > Interference in affairs of a country, by word or action by Non-State actors > in the name of the Non-State entity of Islam (or any other religion) becomes > problematic. > > Hope I made some sense. > > Kshmendra > > > --- On Tue, 11/17/09, anupam chakravartty wrote: > > > From: anupam chakravartty > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > Cc: "Kshmendra Kaul" , "sarai list" > > Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2009, 5:14 PM > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > "Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on political > issues but it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud > pronouncements try to propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to > the Muslim citizens of a Non-Islamic country then you are creating > problems for those Muslims." > > Sir if u could explain the presence of American troops in Indian > Ocean. What do they want here? Geo-politically strategic mumbo jumbo > is helpful to please a certain category of intellectuals. But please > spare this lay person from buying this argument here. > > Thanks Anupam > > > > From rohitrellan at aol.in Wed Nov 18 11:51:49 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:21:49 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Toxics Link Public Lecture Series: Screening of The Final Tide at IIC Message-ID: <8CC362E8B89DC4E-AA84-220E1@webmail-d022.sysops.aol.com> Toxics Link’s Environment & Health Public Lecture Series The Final Tide Impact of Climate Change on Urbanscape: Sustainability Issue Climate change has long-since ceased to be a scientific curiosity, and is no longer just one of many environmental and regulatory concerns. As the United Nations Secretary General has said, it is the major, overriding environmental issue of our time, and the single greatest challenge facing environmental regulators. It is a growing crisis with economic, health and safety, food production, security, and other dimensions that include designing sustainable city forms. Coastal zones are particularly vulnerable to climate variability and change. Key concerns include sea level rise, land loss, changes in maritime storms and flooding, responses to sea level rise and implications for water resources. Rising sea levels inundate wetlands and other low-lying lands, erode beaches, intensify flooding, and increase the salinity of rivers, bays, and groundwater tables. The impacts of climate change in small islands like the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea manifests itself in myriad forms. Today’s crop of city planners and designers strive to achieve sustainable urban development. In other words they try to achieve a balance between the development of the urban areas and protection of the environment with an eye to equity in employment, shelter, infrastructure, transportation and various basic amenities Toxics Link invites you for a screening of the film on 11 February at India International Centre. Screening: The Final Tide; duration 10 minutes, By Vikram Mishra Panelist: * Dr A.K. Gosain, Head Of Department, Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi * Dr K.T. Ravindran, Head of Department, Department of Urban Design, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi * Mr Vikrm Mishra, Environmental Filmmaker Date: 20th Nov 2009, Friday Time: 6:30 p.m. Venue: Conference Room 1, India International Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi (In collaboration with India International Centre) For further information, please contact: Suparna Dutta: suparna at toxicslink.org Nitin Jain: nitin at toxicslink.org E: info at toxicslink.org From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Wed Nov 18 13:32:42 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (media/art/cologne) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:02:42 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091118090242.5C547EF7.16DE5AD8@192.168.0.3> CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival -------------------------------------- After the Cologne OFF V launch on 13 November 2009, VAD - Video Art Database will feature during the coming weeks each day another CologneOFF festival film in a random manner just for one day, until the festival program of 78 films is complete. The feature appears on the VAD frontpage - http://vad.nmartproject.net, there is also a permanent URL ---> http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 Today's feature: "How to clean a puddle" by Roland Wegerer (Austria) Yesterdays features was: BIP by Karlos Alastruey (Spain) The entire festival can be accessed online via http://coff05.newmediafest.org The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded as PDF for free --> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf ------------------------------------------------------ VideoChannel is presenting screenings of CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival programs http://coff.newmediafest.org on MICROWAVE - New Media Arts Festival Hong Kong 13 Nov - 11 December 2009 and FONLAD - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal 14 Nov - 2009 - 03 January 2010 ----------------------------------------------------- [NewMediaArtProjectNetwork]:||cologne http://www.nmartproject.net the experimental platform for art and new media from Cologne. info(at)nmartproject.net From yasir.media at gmail.com Wed Nov 18 13:51:57 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:21:57 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <341380d00911160551m1cfcafect476bc5472f109e80@mail.gmail.com> <354812.70469.qm@web57202.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911180021s5b3e3c8ev757d315518dfa605@mail.gmail.com> the world has been modern for a long time. this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he does not advise that involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam. :: cannot be made. because :: there is no central authority to decide this. what you have is all historical stuff of muslim kings.why should one king, one person,,one family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, one neighbor.......be like another muslim ?? or another conqueror. the record is actually is mixed but overall not so bad. it is even remarkable and uncomparable in places. so why not take that as a muslim characteristic ? and why don't you. its simply the mass of bias amassing itself. best On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > Dear Anupam > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the citizens of a country that they > should not (in this case) join the Military, that is problematic. Moezi is > free to issue his advisories in his own country. > > I was quoting this an an example of why the "loyalty of Muslim citizens to > their Non-Muslim countries tends to be viewed with suspicion?". Because by > not challenging such statements and not asking such persons to not interfere > in their lives as citizens, they get identified with the statements. They > damn well will be looked upon with suspicions about their loyalty to the > country. > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their involvement in the Afghanistan and Iraq > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > Mark that, he does not advise that involvement in wars is forbidden in > Islam. > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) that Moezi is a 'peacenik', shouldnt > he make a start with advising people in Iran not to join the Military in > Iran. > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill Muslims and Christians are not > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed to kill everyone else? > > Let us not be naive. > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics were “inter-mixed” because > religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. And part of social issues > is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of eye on political > issues”. """""" > > Fair enough and valid enough for your own Islamic country. I doubt it that > it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic country. > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on political issues but > it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud pronouncements try to > propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the Muslim citizens of a > Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for those Muslims. > > Kshmendra > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant in the ongoing congregation of > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, ranting against the Taliban: > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow their brand of Islam infidels, > not knowing they are inviting the wrath of Allah the almighty by killing > Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, """" > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if Muslim kills Muslim. It becomes an > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim kills Non-Muslim? What defines a > "holy crusade" ? > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the Tabhligis are Sunnis. Note the > identicality of attitudes. > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty wrote: > > > From: anupam chakravartty > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > Cc: "sarai list" > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail report: > > > “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go there, I don’t accept > non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We say that Muslims are > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that Christians are > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last week of 13 > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim military > psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not be used to > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim population." > > Dear Kshmendra, > > It is very clear that the appeal is not for the Muslims but for anyone > who is opposed to the occupation of forces in these countries and also > who are opposed to things like war in any nation. I think I can very > well read it as a caution against any form of war or violence waged by > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was wrong in interpreting what > this man was talking about? I am sure being a Muslim, and an Iranian > is a peril in these times. Here allegiance to a flag is not the issue. > In a phased manner thousands of young men are exposed to this conflict > of energy-terror-security. after UK and US have been waging this war > at the cost of these lives. would anyone deny the increasing number of > coffins being brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan? there is no > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a fellow comrade is matter of > pride and motivation, but what are these soldiers fighting for? > > -anupam > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer wrote: > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail to Sarai, having read > some > > of the most shocking kind of statements, presented in a very dubious > manner > > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either traitors, or that they > > can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. > > > > It is disgusting that some people have assumed that Muslims are loyal not > to > > their own conscience or even to the nations which they are citizens of, > but > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to the Mullahs and Maulvis > who > > for them are more important than what the law of the land states. Some > > people on this forum, as also elsewhere across the nation, media and > among > > others, have thought this to be obvious. > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to make such conjectures and > perception-based > > statements unless one has done an academic study on this issue, to find > out > > the effect of what such statements do, or how many among the Muslims > across > > different nations, not only in India, but also in Europe and others, are > > actually involved in terrorist activities, or at the least, supporting > the > > ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I don't know myself about any > > such study having been conducted in India or any other nation for that > > matter; if any of you has anything or any study to prove so, please do > put > > it forward. > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims across India or other regions have to > prove > > their loyalty because of these shameful perceptions. It's on this > perception > > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is stating that UP and Bihar > people > > are actually taking over the jobs of the Marathis. The ironic thing is > that > > in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. of migrants to Mumbai > is > > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the largest) are from within > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which when added to Maharashtra > > migrants come over to close to 60%) and then Gujarat. Where does even > Bihar > > come into the picture? And all these statistics are based on a UNDP-BMC > > survey report which has been done recently. And the report also says that > > the situation has been the same with little difference in composition of > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > Bin > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > the > > local Mullah on the street for that matter? And how many Muslims even > made > > that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim family which always supported > > Pakistan in matches against India, but for that one family, I know of at > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to shower at Pakistan when > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. Infact, some of them even > claim > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to Pakistan? (although I do agree > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or anybody including the > Hindu > > Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the views of the Hindus. > Who > > are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even know what being a Hindu > is, > > or what Hinduism is? The same argument even extends to those who think > they > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what Islam is? Have they > even > > studied the Koran properly, and do understand in what context what has > been > > said? Every person has the right to speak for himself/herself. > > > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > others. > > If you want to question someone for his/her beliefs, don't ask questions > to > > anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume that somebody has got > the > > right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband conference doesn't have > the > > right to speak for Muslims across India, forget across even entire > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > As far as the content of the previous mail is concerned, I think there > are > > positives to be taken, many of them. We should respect those. At the same > > time, the representative has a right to request Muslims not to join the > > forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That doesn't mean Muslims > will, > > by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. It's their right to accept > or > > not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have a right to do, is to > > explain to them why this perspective is skewed or not, depending on our > > value system and judgement. > > > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims are traitors or not traitors. Each > > individual is different, please go ahead and respect their individuality. > > > > Rakesh > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe > > in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 18 19:06:01 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:36:01 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "An Open Letter To Yasin Malik" from Madhu Kishwar of CSDS Message-ID: <149267.47514.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> "An Open Letter To Yasin Malik"   (A true commitment to non-violence should not be conditional and fragile. Gandhi did not say: "Give India independence or else I will unleash terrorist brigades on you." That was Jinnah’s method, not Gandhi’s.)   Madhu Purnima Kishwar   Dear Yasin, The Dialogue on the Future of Jammu & Kashmir organized by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies gained enormously by your presence on November 7, 2009. We recognize that the overlap in timing meant you had to rush to Delhi after registering your attendance at a TADA court hearing in Jammu. I also appreciate the fact that despite provocative slogans against you by a group of Kashmiri Pandits opposed to your presence in the Dialogue, you sat through the meeting to the end and not only explained your politics but also made a public commitment to consider some of the solutions proposed at the meeting as a starting point for a wide spectrum dialogue for the resolution of the Kashmir problem. However, your outbursts of anger, disappointment and your cynical comments directed at the civil society organizations of India seem to me so misplaced and misleading that they demand a public response; a lot of them were directed at Manushi and at me. Since they have been widely reported in the Kashmiri and Pakistani newspapers, hence my response is also through the media. For those who do not know the background, let me summarize your grievances as stated in your presentation at the Dialogue. You said that you had given up the gun at the urging of civil society organizations in India, that you took to "Gandhian methods of struggle" due to our persuasion. However, despite your move to non-violent means of struggle, you feel "betrayed" by the human rights community in India for ostensibly failing to help you achieve your political ends. You also claimed that subsequent events and your failure in achieving "azadi" have convinced you that Gandhian methods do not work in today’s India. In your view, they worked only while the British ruled India because the British provided a supportive environment for non- violent struggles. What proof do you offer for that conclusion? That Gandhi was not subjected to third degree torture by the British, nor was Gandhi killed in an encounter with the police! No responsible leader would provide this form of naive praise of the British. You cannot dismiss the brutalities of the British colonial regime so easily. You don’t have to go too far—just read the life story of Badshah Khan—Gandhi’s most valued colleague and the most inspiring satyagrahi of that period. The brutalities inflicted on the army of satyagrahis mobilized by Badshah Khan—popularly known as the Frontier Gandhi— would put to shame even the apartheid regime of South Africa. Lakhs and lakhs of non violent satyagrahis were tortured in British jails. Many innocents were murdered in cold blood. The manner in which unarmed women and children were massacred in Jallianwala Bagh by General Dyer was not an isolated example of British brutality. Hundreds of thousands of satyagrahis took deadly beatings without raising their hand even in self-defence during the Salt Satyagraha. The cruel treatment routinely meted out to the Indian peasantry in extracting unprecedented high revenue and confiscating their lands arbitrarily for failure to pay ruinous usurious revenue, not sparing them even during crop failures, led to millions dying in unprecedented man made famines and left many more millions destitute, malnourished and terrorized.  You claim to have taken to Gandhian methods and claim that the movement for "azadi" in Kashmir is non violent —all on the grounds that some years ago you gave up the gun. Dear friend Yasin, you gave up the gun after you were arrested and jailed, not while you were on the outside, fighting. You never gave up supporting and defending those who continued using the gun. In the November 7 meeting, you declared openly that you are proud of having been the first one to take up the gun for the cause of Kashmir. When a young Kashmiri Pandit commented: "You may have given up the gun but that does not mean Kashmiri Muslims gave up the gun. The Hizbul Mujahiddin is also comprised of Kashmiri youth." Your response was: Since the Indian government did not hand over "azadi" to the "non-violent" JKLF, and since human rights organizations in India failed to persuade the Indian government to do so, Hizbul Mujahaddin are justified in taking up the gun. Yasin bhai, a true commitment to non-violence should not be so conditional and fragile. Gandhi did not say: "Give India independence or else I will unleash terrorist brigades on you." That was Jinnah’s method, not Gandhi’s. As one of many people committed to strengthening democracy and human rights in India, one of my mandates is to ensure that even those who take to terrorist means, are given fair treatment, due process, and a fair trial, and that innocents are not targeted by security forces while combating terrorism. Our primary task, however, is to try to prevail upon the Indian government that draconian laws should not be used to crush democratic dissent. I don’t think I have failed in being consistent about those issues. I have often done my best to intervene with the government of India to defend the Constitutional rights of you and your colleagues, even when I have strong differences with your political goals and means you make use of to achieve them.  For example, when you asked me to intervene on behalf of some of your colleagues held in detention centres who you claimed and seemed to me to be innocent, I did so without hesitation. I even succeeded on some occasions in helping get them released—your verbal assurance that they were not involved in any terrorist crimes was an important consideration in my efforts. Do you think you could get such relief for your colleagues if they had been arrested on account of suspected terrorist links in England—a nation you so ardently admire— or in the US—the country you had put most faith in to help you gain "Azadi"? In the November 7 meeting, you expressed your annoyance over the fact that representatives from Ladakh, Jammu, Poonch, and Rajouri had been invited. You dismissed their presence with open contempt saying: " Is this a mohalla meeting that we have gathered all these people to discuss local affairs?" This attitude of assuming that it is only Kashmiri Muslims of the Valley— and that too of a certain political persuasion— who ought to have the right to determine the future of the entire state of J&K has created huge fault lines and murderously hostile camps in the State. No one organization has the right to be the sole spokesperson of the Kashmiri people. The strong voices opposing your politics in Jammu, Ladakh and even within Kashmir have to be given their due importance. While you expected human rights organizations in India to help you secure "Azadi"—you have allowed the concept to remain so fuzzy that I have not yet understood what concretely you mean by it. I have spent hours trying to persuade you to work out the concrete modalities of your plank of "Azadi" and explain to us how your Azadi will be any different from the bloody 1947 Partition of India. What will be the fate of minorities in your 'Azad' Kashmir? What happens to the rights of those in Kashmir, Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Leh and Kargil and those in the Valley who do not wish to secede from India and do not want to live in your mythical Azad Kashmir? I never got anything resembling an answer. It also makes me very uneasy that the JKLF does not even have a constitution, leave alone any democratic machinery for managing its affairs. Why on earth would human rights organizations help you partition Jammu & Kashmir in as senseless a manner as Jinnah did the entire subcontinent? Even for the November 7 Dialogue, I repeatedly requested you to give a concrete statement in writing on the form and content of Azadi. You said you don’t believe in putting things down in writing. Instead you preferred to talk about your personal trials and tribulations, how 600 of your JKLF cadres have been killed in encounters by security forces. Much as I mourn the loss of those lives, much as I deplore how our security forces sometimes lawlessly eliminate or brutalize those suspected of terrorism, Yasin bhai, you have to recognize that, unfair as it seems to you, those who live by the gun have to be prepared to be hunted down by the gun. You say you are still proud of the fact that you took up the gun because without that the Kashmir issue would not have gained due attention. This is not how morally committed non-violent satyagrahis reason. That is not how those who draw inspiration from Gandhi should earn world attention. One does not become a satyagrahi by merely laying down arms, that too without ever expressing remorse for having unleashed a reign of terror and violence. A satyagrahi does not romanticize the power of the gun, especially when it has already caused havoc for millions. To qualify being a satyagrahi also means: Being an unconditional soldier of peace by actively opposing all forces of violence. Unfortunately, your love affair with the gun is not yet over, or else you would not claim to be proud of having been the first one to take up the gun as a means of furthering your politics; Even today, you do not condemn terrorist killings without reservations. Being committed to the path of Truth ( Satya) as a permanent seeker rather than as a self declared authority on Truth. A satyagrahi cannot be selective in choosing facts to suit his political arguments, which you often do. Being able to face unpalatable facts about one's own movement and an ability to take diverse view points and perspectives into account is vital for adhering to the path of Truth. A truth seeker does not indulge in mere partisan politics nor does he/she overstate his /her case, as you often do Being able to keep one's anger under check and control so that it does not distort one's vision. A Satyagrahi does not demonize his/her opponents, nor does he/she hold malice and ill will towards others whose politics and vision are at variance from that of the satyagrahi. You seem to be in a permanent state of upset with people who do not agree with your politics. It was a very revealing moment, Yasin, when you told me after one of your visits to Pakistan which I quote from memory:  "I have now realized the great difference between the human rights activists in India and Pakistan. The Indian activists mostly come from ordinary middle class families so they are small minded. The Pakistani human rights activists are mostly from aristocratic families—daughters of generals and wealthy land owning aristocrats. Therefore, they are large hearted and have a broader vision."  You have been understandably impressed by their pampering and hospitality extended to you. But you would do well to remember, many of them pamper you because you are a thorn in the flesh of the Indian establishment. They do not pamper their home grown secessionists--the Baluchis, the Pakhtoons and Sindhis, who wish to break away from Pakistan, as they do you. You would also do well to remember that the aristocratic elite of Pakistan has done a poor job of defending their own democracy. They have also done a poor job of resisting the growing influence of the Taliban over their polity and civil society. Pakistan Administered Kashmir has a much poorer track record of democracy than the Kashmir you inhabit. The diverse ethnic groups and regions in Pakistan have far fewer rights than minority communities and regions have in India. No matter how well they treat you personally, the aristocratic elite of Pakistan are unlikely to deliver the "azadi" you are seeking.  Kashmiri society is being torn asunder by the conflicting ambitions of its leaders. As you well know, the mutual hostilities and suspicions of various Kashmiri leaders have even taken murderous forms. That is why it is vital to bridge these divides and important that diverse leaders come together to thrash out differences and explore common ground. Many of those who attended the November 7 meeting considered it an auspicious start of a new process whereby secessionist leaders who had never sat together on a common platform with mainstream political parties not only came together to seek out a consensually acceptable peaceful solution but also agreed to carry forward the debate around the concrete and innovative new Self Rule formula presented by the PDP. Instead of expecting the human rights community in India to become your followers, instead of expecting them to fight your battles for you, it would be far better if you worked out a political platform that was more in consonance with their perspective. For all their limitations and humbler origins, the Indian middle classes which dominate democratic rights organizations in India have succeeded far better in keeping the authoritarian tendencies of their rulers under a measure of check and control. J& K has too many gun toting self appointed spokespersons of Kashmiri people. What it lacks is a vibrant community of people committed to strengthening human rights and democratic freedoms. Such voices have been marginalized or crushed by the gun in J&K. Reviving that tradition needs much greater courage and conviction than required for taking up the gun. I hope to see you occupy that space in the coming years. With good wishes, Madhu Kishwar, Founder Editor, Manushi Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies November 14, 2009   http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?262922   From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 18 19:18:31 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:48:31 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Questions of identity and loyalty" By Irfan Husain Message-ID: <828761.53438.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> DISCLAIMER:   I did not commission Irfan Husain to write this article. (Context: Somewhat ongoing conversations with a few on this List)   Kshmendra     "Questions of identity and loyalty"   By Irfan Husain Wednesday, 18 Nov, 2009   IMAGINE if a Hindu or Christian officer in the Pakistan army had shot dead 13 soldiers and wounded 40 in a lethal rampage. Think of the backlash in a country where our minorities are so badly treated at the best of times.   Fortunately, beyond heated speculation about his motive, and the odd threat, there has been no violence following Major Nidal Malik Hasan’s unprovoked attack on his fellow soldiers at the US army base in Fort Hood in Texas.   One line of investigation is the extent to which he acted out of an impulse to kill American soldiers. Among the many articles about this outrage posted on the internet was a presentation he gave to fellow doctors at an army facility a few months before the attack. While he was supposed to speak about a medical topic, he suddenly veered off into a long and detailed exposition about the duties of Muslim soldiers fighting for the American government.   Many of the audience were horrified at the extreme views Major Hasan expressed.   Investigators have also found an exchange of emails between the psychiatrist and an extremist preacher in Yemen. In addition, there have been some money transfers to Pakistan that have excited interest. Now, questions are being asked about why all these facts and views had not alerted the authorities to Hasan’s Islamist ideology.   Clearly, here is a case of divided loyalties. While many of us feel the tug of competing philosophies, we generally compromise and muddle along without resorting to such violent actions to resolve the contradictions of modern life.   Although being a doctor, he was not required to fight other Muslims, Hasan still felt uneasy at the prospect of serving in Afghanistan or Iraq. The fact is that he had other options to pulling the trigger: he could have resigned his commission, or refused to serve as a conscientious objector, and accepted the consequences. The fact that he decided to turn his gun on his fellow soldiers speaks of an extremist mindset, rather than a troubled mind.   In the 21st century, as unprecedented numbers move from their homeland to distant lands to seek a better life, questions of identity and loyalty are assuming greater urgency.   In Major Hasan’s case, he was clearly torn between his religious belief and his professional loyalty to the US army. The conflict arose when he was told he would soon be sent to serve in a country where the US was at war against Muslims.   Normally, people are not asked to make such stark choices when they migrate. A shopkeeper or a farm worker just gets on with his life, trying to save money for his family. But if they are Muslims, their loyalty to their host country is increasingly suspect in a post-9/11 world.   However, this inner conflict over loyalty and identity is not limited to Muslims: many American Jews have dual nationality, and soldiers from among them have received leave of absence to serve in the Israeli armed forces at times of need.   In the Yom Kippur war of 1973, many Jewish American pilots flew missions with the Israeli air force. Thus far, their loyalty has not been tested as there is no possibility of a war between Israel and America. However, there have been cases of American Jews spying for Israel.   The arrest and successful prosecution of a number of young Britons of Pakistani origin for terrorist plots and attacks has also raised questions about loyalty. Many in the UK, even very liberal and tolerant people, are appalled that these young men have turned against the country in which they were born, raised and educated. This is an extreme case of confusion over identity, and an angry rejection of the values of the host community.   In India, there was the recent furore over the fatwa issued by an Islamic group at Deoband forbidding Muslims from singing the national song, Vande Mataram. Usually sung at schools, the official song has been shorn of any Hindu content, and is a hymn in praise of Mother India. By issuing this fatwa, the Indian ulema have put their community in the difficult position of choosing to further isolate themselves from the mainstream, or risk being ostracised.   Indian Muslims in the previous generation were often viewed as a fifth column whose true loyalties lay with Pakistan. Most younger Muslims have put this sentiment behind them, and see themselves as Indians. And apart from occasional outbursts of communal violence, they are well integrated into the fabric of Indian society.   Generally speaking, dual nationality does not really pit one identity against another. At heart, the first generation of migrants retain strong links with their home country. These feelings of patriotism are diluted over the next generation, until total cultural assimilation takes place.   However, the real crisis arises when an individual’s loyalty to his adopted country is pitted against his most deeply held religious beliefs. Thus, when Muslims in the West are convinced by radicals that their adopted countries are acting to dominate and defeat fellow Muslims in Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan, they are torn between these conflicting pulls.   This is not to excuse people like Major Hasan, but to try and explain why they act as they occasionally do. No religion, including Islam, teaches its followers to take up arms against innocent civilians to kill innocent civilians. And certainly, suicide is a sin in every religion.   In any case, there are several aspects to our identity, and religion is only one of them. But for some, it assumes overwhelming proportions, dominating and subsuming all others.   This is when such individuals can turn against their fellow beings in a nihilistic outburst of violence.   To rationalise this act, they cite their religious belief, as if their faith is superior to all others and somehow justifies killing innocent people.   Major Hasan’s rampage has raised deeply troubling questions, and no doubt his trial will ensure that this debate over identity and loyalty will resonate for a long time. No doubt, too, that many Muslims around the world condone and even admire his murderous attack.   But they need to consider how this single act has placed a cloud of suspicion over other Muslims serving in the American armed forces. They should also ponder over the ultimate futility of terrorism as a means of gaining political ends.   http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/07-questions-of-identity-and-loyalty-ha-01   From mazzarel at uchicago.edu Fri Nov 13 20:11:12 2009 From: mazzarel at uchicago.edu (William Mazzarella) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:41:12 -0600 Subject: [Reader-list] Varadarajan poison Message-ID: <4AFD7008.50808@uchicago.edu> Dear all, and further to Yasir's posting - You might be interested in the following declaration by my friend Jeremy Walton at NYU Dear friends, There is something of a controversy and scandal brewing here at NYU that I thought might interest you. A professor in the business school, one Tunku Varadarajan, writes a weekly column for Forbes; this week, he wrote about the tragic events at Fort Hood, coining the phrase "Going Muslim" in analogy to the American idiom "Going Postal". You'll find a link to his noxious comments below, along with a letter that I have written in response to the president of NYU and the dean of the business school. I'd be curious to learns your thoughts... Best, Jeremy http://www.forbes.com/2009/11/08/fort-hood-nidal-malik-hasan-muslims-opinions-columnists-tunku-varadarajan.html Dear Dean Cooley and President Sexton, I regret having to write to you in this context, but as a member of NYU’s Religious Studies Program, it is my obligation to condemn, in the strongest language possible, Professor Tunku Varadarajan’s recent column in Forbes (9 November) on the tragedy at Fort Hood earlier this week. As you no doubt know by now, Professor Varadarajan has coined the unfortunate, chauvinistic phrase “Going Muslim” to describe the actions of Major Nidal Malik Hasan and to insinuate viciously that any American Muslim might harbor a similar, incipient tendency to violence. This is nothing short of hate speech, and it contradicts the ideals of NYU as an institution in every respect. In my current undergraduate course, “What is Islam?”, I devote significant class time and conversation to disabusing students of the all-too-prevalent Fox News ideology of Islam as necessarily anti-democratic and, in Professor Varadarajan’s own vitriolic words, “founded on bellicose conquest, a contempt for infidels a nd an obligation for piety that is more extensive than in other schemes.” While it is not the role of scholars of religion to define the beliefs and practices that they study and teach, it is nevertheless eminently clear to even the most casual student of Islam that such an exaggerated, one-sided caricature of Muslims bears little relationship to the historical and contemporary diversity of the tradition. It is deeply frustrating that a fellow colleague can so glibly undermine the sincere efforts on the part of the many faculty members at NYU committed to the serious study of Islam, and in such a public venue. This is especially the case given that Professor Varadarajan lists his NYU credentials first in his biographical blurb at the bottom of the piece, thereby directly implicating the university in his intolerance. In order to justify his demagoguery, Professor Varadarajan claims to be a lone warrior in a battle against ‘political correctness’. Do not be misled—his st atements not only defy the political sensibility of our university as a whole, they also militate against its aspiration to balanced, thorough and impartial intellectual inquiry. I urge you to repudiate his remarks. Sincerely, From anivar at movingrepublic.org Sun Nov 15 11:44:56 2009 From: anivar at movingrepublic.org (Anivar Aravind) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:14:56 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Appeal letter for ANTI-POSCO RALLY : Dont Steal in the name of Steel Message-ID: <35f96d470911142214n23cb8bc1g4811e6440f849976@mail.gmail.com> ==AN APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY == PARADEEP TO PURI: THE PADYATRA AGAINST PREDATORY CORPORATIONS Orissa, the ancient land of Kalinga, has been under attack in recent years in a way not seen since over two thousand years ago when King Ashoka’s army laid waste to the region. This time the marauders are large corporations, both domestic and foreign, preying upon the province’s vast natural resources, among them - iron ore, bauxite, plentiful water, fertile agricultural lands and marine wealth. The net impact of this capitalist assault, promoted in the name of ‘development’ by both the Central and Orissa governments, is obvious. Investments in the mining industry, steel plants, captive power stations and ports are meant to give huge profits to corporations and some corrupt politicians/parties while displacing thousands and thousands of people from their land, houses, livelihoods and destroying their culture and environment. The resistance to all this planned plunder has also been very strong be it the anti-POSCO movement in Erasama, anti-Vedanta movement in Puri and Lanjigarh, the anti-Tata movement in Kalinganagar and Naraj, the farmers’ movement in Hirakud , anti- UAIL movement in Kashipur, anti-Mittal movement in Keonjhar, anti-Bhusan, anti-Sterlite, anti-Reliance or anti-dam movement in Lower Sutkel area - everywhere people are in struggles. In response to all these protests the UPA government in New Delhi and the Orissa Government have renewed their campaign to use brutal force to compel people to vacate their ancestral lands in the proposed POSCO and Vedanta project areas. The Indian government has invited the South Korean President as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebration on 26 January 2010 and planned his visit to the proposed POSCO plant area. This is like an open challenge to the people in POSCO site area struggling to save their ancestral lands. With a purpose to create awareness among the people, to involve them and to unite all the movements along the Orissa coastline from Paradip to Puri, a Mass Rally or Padyatra has been planned by the POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Samity (PPSS) along with various movements and people. The Mass Rally, of over 2000 people will walk through 120 villages of seven blocks namely Erasama, Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur District and Astaranga, Kaktpur, Gop, Puri Sadar, Puri covering 150 kilometres. The Rally will start from Dhinkia village on 29th November 2009 and culminate at Puri on 5th December 2009 with a massive protest meeting. Along the Padyatra’s route, public meetings will be organized as follows:- 1. 29th November at 4 PM at Erasama 2. 30th November at 4 PM at naharana 3. 1st December at 4 PM at Kakatpur 4. 2nd December at 4 PM at Astaranga 5. 3rd December at 4 PM at Gop 6. 4th December at 4 PM at Puri Sadar 7. 5th December at 2 PM at Puri ==Demands:== 1. Scrap all plans and projects meant for capitalistic investments and exploitations in coastal zones 2. Stop anti-people and involuntary displacements 3. Stop industrialization at the cost of agriculture and food security of millions of people 4. Promote people-centered and agro-based industries in place of corporate friendly mining and other industries 5. Make necessary regulations to protect and preserve the water, forests, lands, ecology and livelihoods of local people and empower them to own and manage their resources and livelihoods 6. Scrap the Special Economic Zones and withdraw the corresponding Acts and Orders 7. Stop all kinds of violence committed directly or indirectly by corporations against people 8. Refrain from all kinds of repression against democratic people’s movements and human rights activists 9. Protect the coast up to 1 kilometer from the sea to prevent any ecologically harmful activities 10. Desist from handing over natural resources into the hands of private companies 11. Promote people-centered, non-exploitative and non-extractive developmental models ==Participants== The participants in the Padyatra will include villagers from Paradip to Puri, representatives of various people’s movements, left and democratic parties, supporters from various parts of the country, cultural troupes, intellectuals, writers, artists and activists. ==How to Get There == Interested participants should arrive at Dhinkia village by 28th evening. One can travel by Train from Cuttack or Bhubaneswar via Trains running to Paradip and get down at Badabandha Station. From here Dhinkia is 6 kilometres. Auto rickshaws are available here. By bus one can come from Bhubaneswar/Cuttack running towards Paradip and get down at Balitutha. APPEAL: We appeal you to participate in the Rally and contribute whatever you can against the requirements mentioned below: * 10000 Posters * 20000 Leaflets * 500 Banners/Festoons * 500 Placards * 8 Vehicles for 8-days * 5 mikes with generators for 8-days * Medical Team with First Aid requisites * Water Tank for 8 days * Tents for 8 days * Lunch, dinner and Breakfast for 2000 people for 8 days * 250 Uniforms/T-Shirts/ Caps/badges for front-line youth volunteers * Video documentation * Film shows – equipment and videos * Accompanying cultural troupes Abhay Sahu Chairperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti, Cell No. – 09861501265 Prasant Paikray Spokesperson, Posco Prathirodh Sangram Samiti) Cell - 09437571547 Email: prashantpaikray at gmail.com -- Anivar Aravind From sen.jhuma at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 15:48:07 2009 From: sen.jhuma at gmail.com (Jhuma Sen) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:48:07 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] MARICH JHAPI, 1978-79: TORTURED HUMANITY Message-ID: <85a3156a0911150218k100d536fw1d3d4c0c018b608e@mail.gmail.com> THE OTHER MEDIA J-42, SOUTH EXTENSION-1, NEW DELHI-110049 CORDIALLY INVITES YOU TO A SCREENING OF A UNIQUE FILM MARICH JHAPI, 1978-79: TORTURED HUMANITY A documentary film that exposes official India’s cruelest secret (1 hour, 5 minutes; English) In one of the least known instances of State persecution of backward communities and displaced population groups in post-Independence India, the Left Front government of West Bengal in 1978-79 massacred unknown hundreds of refugees from the erstwhile East Pakistan after promising them an alternate homeland. This gargantuan crime against humanity was done away from media glare, yet word of it got out and has found a place in Bengal’s oral tradition as the Marich Jhapi massacre. Though scholars and writers like Ross Mallick, Udayan Namboodiri, Annu Jalais and Amitav Ghosh have highlighted it in their works, no film maker had dared to come forward to document this tragedy. Now, Kolkata-based film maker, Tushar Bhattacharjee, has unraveled for the first time the machinations and brutality that preceded the Marich Jhapi massacre by catching up with relatives of the victims, survivors and even the perpetrators. Venue: Indian Social Institute, Lodi Road, New Delhi-110003 Date: Friday, November 20, 2009 Time: 4 p.m. The screening will be followed by an Open House discussion moderated by Mr Sumit Chakravorty, editor, Mainstream weekly. Mr Tushar Bhattacharjee, the film’s producer, will present a brief outline of his project, and Mr Udayan Namboodiri, author, Bengal's Night Without End (New Delhi, 2006), will place the incident in historical perspective. As this is the first ever national exposition of the Marich Jhapi massacre, we hope you would attend along with your friends and colleagues. Ravi Himadri The Other Media (9871415186) From yasir.media at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 17:00:10 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:30:10 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0911150306l1618bff7tb2a5418ea186bef3@mail.gmail.com> References: <5af37bb0911122316y8f2f2bva9b578879307b577@mail.gmail.com> <206176.38954.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <5af37bb0911150306l1618bff7tb2a5418ea186bef3@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911150330p3a1d89e1mc5b33be2bc528c97@mail.gmail.com> Dear KK, Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, which i have. nice fit. needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. It was announced on the media channels that middle eastern folk had brought down the FBI building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got trained by christian militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was against the US government, like the other christian militias in the US at the time, and FBI and its operations against religious groups in particular, among which the Waco, Texas massacre stood out. so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one can overlook at why the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions in Iraq should justify al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. there's also this very american rant: http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US doing in Afghanistan and Iraq is the right discussion. best On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > Dear Yasir > > The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that they fit > so often. > > It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without pondering > over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a plausible > one at that. > > It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in touch with > Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with Pakistan; of > Hasan in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of Allah). Media > concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that might just be > innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. > > Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian conspiracy. > > It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the Oklahoma > Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a > Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians. > > As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: > http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 > > > Kshmendra > > > --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر * wrote: > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. > To: "sarai list" > Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM > > what a stinking piece of hate this article is. > an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. > > this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. > > the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers > I'll take it as a sorting mistake. > > best > > From machleetank at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 18:40:39 2009 From: machleetank at gmail.com (Jasmeen Patheja) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:40:39 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: <726001.19184.qm@web112119.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> References: <726001.19184.qm@web112119.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Hello A.K Malik The message is meant for anyone who reads it and most importantly for the one wearing it. What is going to be achieved is tough to answer in tangible terms. It hopefully reminds the wearer or the reader to walk without fear, without a sense of threat. Some of the Blank Noise Action Heroes( women who have participated in street actions / events) who now deliberately, slowly, walk right in the middle of the pavement and they get their space as well, because they are not walking with the idea that they don't 'belong' in the public. These conversations inspired the Step by Step Guide to Unapologetic Walking. Thank you for your suggestion on working with males. If you have specific ideas as to 'how' , do share them. http://bnguy.blanknoise.org/ Best wishes, Jasmeen On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 10:39 PM, A.K. Malik wrote: > Dear Jasmeen Ji, > I happened to see the blog site where girls are wearing tee > shirts with caption " Step by Step Guide to Unapologetic Walking tees are > ready".I am a little puzzled who is going to read the entire message-is it > meant for men? Again problem. or women? What is going to be achieved ? > Don't want to comment on the rest because it is substantially true and I > see the harassment day-in day-out especially in the northern India. The blog > on Bangalore seemed true until a few years back but is not true these > days.Most women have males in their families.Why not try making them sane.It > may perhaps solve the problem. > Regards, > > (A.K.MALIK) > > > --- On Sun, 11/8/09, Jasmeen Patheja wrote: > > > From: Jasmeen Patheja > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll > Results > > To: "Meera Rizvi" > > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." , "Hemangini > Gupta" > > Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 2:18 PM > > @ Meera and your response to > > Subhrodip > > > > I agree that there is no problem in showing your liking > > towards someone , > > but the question is HOW? > > how are you expressing it? does it sometimes take the form > > of stalking? > > > > 10 years ago I was stalked for 15 kms. I was on the bus and > > he was on the > > bike and he stopped at every bus stop and then it was my > > turn to get off the > > bus. > > I had to confront him and ask him why he was stalking me. > > He said he only > > wanted to ask me out for coffee and then he laughed. It was > > frightening. > > Yes he simply expressed interest in an unwanted > > aggressive persuasive > > manner. Could we put him in the category of men who hear > > 'yes for no'- (*ladki > > ki na mein haan hai*). Or how do we respond to Annie's > > story > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/08/tale-of-lovelustwhateveritwas.html#links > > > > What form does this expression take? How much of it is a > > series of > > misinterpretations? How much of it is intends to > > intimidate? > > > > Blank Noise lists 'looking' in the 'eve teasing' opinioin > > poll and in the > > past it has been debated, questioned, rejected, accepted > > for its place > > there. This is not to say 'don't look' but to question HOW > > one is looking or > > how and or where one is looking. > > > > @ Rakesh > > Yes women do have the right to protest, to respond, to > > react > > but it is extremely challenging to walk around believing > > you( female ) can, > > because there's been such a history of fearing men, and of > > public spaces > > that belong mostly to men. There's been a history of > > believing that if you > > experience harassment, it is your fault and that 'you ask > > for it'. Too many > > women feel guilt for having been violated on the streets, > > they never speak > > about it for reasons such as ' why draw further attention > > to yourself and > > the body' that too in public. Street sexual harassment has > > been internalized. > > It would be insightful to observe how women and men walk, > > who walks fast, > > slow, occupies the middle of the pavement, maintains eye > > contact, carries > > things and more things, is on the phone. > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/06/step-by-step-guide-to-unapologetic.html > > > > We create events that ask women to be Action Heroes by > > simply occupying the > > streets in an idle state. This intervention challenges both > > the participant > > ( Action Hero) and the public itself. What is it like for > > women to be on the > > street to do nothing, to not have the phone, to not be > > constantly looking at > > the time as though waiting for someone, to not look anxious > > and nervous. > > What happens to the street when it witnesses such an event. > > We have had rows > > of men waiting, waiting for something to happen, or men > > walk up to a girl > > who is just standing there to ask her ' why are you > > standing here'? Just > > standing idle on the street becomes provocative. These > > events are designed > > with a 'what if' scenario in mind. What if there were a 100 > > idle yet > > 'unavailable' women on the street? > > The relationship with the city and public also becomes less > > fear based. > > > > My grandmother tells me that when she was in 12 , she > > would nervously walk > > through the lanes with her friend to go to school. She said > > she was nervous > > because she was scared the boys might tease her and > > therefore her > > 'reputation might be tarnished'. A few years ago I heard > > about a 10 year old > > girl from a Delhi slum who stopped going to school because > > she was harassed > > and 'teased' everyday on her way to school. A year > > ago I met someone who > > had stepped out alone for the first time in 20 years. This > > was in > > Manchester. She was of south asian origin and had been > > living in Manchester > > > for 20 years. It was always assumed that she would go out > > with her family , > > never alone. Her story is here: > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2008/04/where-are-you-going.html > > > > Some more thoughts on this here: > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/10/on-being-asked-if-bangalore-is-safe-or.html#links > > > > > > Jasmeen > > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 9:13 AM, Meera Rizvi > > wrote: > > > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > > > > > There is no problem in showing your liking for > > someone. Most women, and I > > > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration > > even if they do not > > > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > > disempowering to a > > > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. > > These situations > > > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > > > > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > > someone rides their > > > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve > > teasing even though > > > they > > > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on > > a lonely bus stop at > > > a > > > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > > makes most women > > > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened > > when one was with a > > > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it > > did, it would be > > > amusing. > > > > > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an > > attempt to brow beat a > > > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her > > the freedom of choice. > > > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Meera > > > > > > > > > On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > > > > From: subhrodip sengupta > > > > To: Amit Basole > > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > > > > > > > Again what is the problem with showing a liking > > towards soebody's > > > feature. > > > > Does liking translate into disrespect or > > necessary intrusion into > > > another's > > > > space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be > > beautiful to my lover only? > > > > The word only causes the problem. I am > > against disaalowing somebody of > > > the > > > > beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to > > objectify this as well. Self > > > > imposing oneself as a moral guardian only > > increases the problem. Let me > > > be > > > > more precise one of my best friends left me only > > because she felt I was > > > too > > > > dumb. > > > > Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he > > had a recipe which the > > > > women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of > > charm that does not at > > > > least attract the wrong attraction? > > > > Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in > > Delhi, I have resolutely > > > > stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear > > womenfolk. I do not care > > > > that much for staring at boobs, but that I could > > not controll my emotions > > > > after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the > > intent of fashion is > > > often > > > > different from activism. Because i wear something > > does not mean I mean > > > it, > > > > so any kind of awareness movement or protest in > > the Us has not been > > > strong, > > > > lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating > > gender awareness, let > > > me > > > > share my experience with U all. Every time the > > matter of the conversation > > > > would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to > > how others ought to > > > behave, > > > > and that would involve Rama Sita, and a > > hollocaust. Onl at times we > > > really > > > > talked about how women and men see each other, > > how could we set space for > > > > others---- men and women to come along. After all > > a public slur at one's > > > > sister is not the best greeting everybody likes > > in the morning! > > > > One should remember eve-teasing is only one form > > of harrasment, so gender > > > > abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex > > life or breasts or even > > > > asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching > > private parts in a bus, > > > > definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy > > and purpose, other than > > > that > > > > of getting laid, which is just face of gender > > behaviour what is the > > > purpose? > > > > And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not > > fear anything or anyone, > > > > ................... Bear the consequences of your > > action as well... What > > > is > > > > the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt > > someone? What is the > > > problem > > > > in getting slapped? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: Amit Basole > > > > To: Rakesh Iyer > > > > Cc: Sarai List ; > > Hemangini Gupta < > > > > hemanginig at gmail.com>; > > Jasmeen Patheja > > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > > > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and > > speaking as a man, > > > > "talking > > > > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived > > reality for women not > > > > only > > > > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts > > worn by women in the US > > > > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow > > pointing towards the head is > > > > printed across the chest. This is a form of > > protest against the practice. > > > > It > > > > is a type of objectification so common as to pass > > completely unnoticed by > > > > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > > > > > > > Amit > > > > > > > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Dear Chandni > > > > > > > > > > I think the larger problem is that the > > people who feel uncomfortable > > > > don't > > > > > even open their mouth about it. And > > sometimes when they do, the society > > > > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence > > suggestions like these. > > > > > > > > > > What is required is not only a debate among > > intellectual classes, but > > > > even > > > > > within the entire society. Here we have a > > society where if a rape were > > > > > taking place on the streets, half of us > > would be engaged in watching it > > > > and > > > > > even recording clips, some of whom would be > > even going to find out if > > > > they > > > > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the > > others would ignore it and > > > > walk > > > > > away. How many of us (including me) would > > actually like to be someone > > > who > > > > > is > > > > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak > > out against the accused? And > > > > how > > > > > many would actually go out and try to stop > > it, at least make an > > > attempt? > > > > > > > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, > > the girl will be blamed, not > > > > the > > > > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex > > on the street to portray > > > > herself > > > > > as a porn actress. > > > > > > > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are > > indeed coming across, and > > > > would > > > > > like more such things. But we need to ask > > the questions which I did, in > > > > > addition to of course, those which can talk > > about how such situations > > > can > > > > > be > > > > > worked upon. In India, even the police and > > society generally says the > > > > same > > > > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > > media and the city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Amit Basole > > > > Department of Economics > > > > Thompson Hall > > > > University of Massachusetts > > > > Amherst, MA 01003 > > > > Phone: 413-665-2463 > > > > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > > > > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > > > > > > > > > > > Now, send attachments up to > > 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. > > > > http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Meera > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > -- > > http:blog.blanknoise.org > > > > http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com > > > > mob: 0091 98868 40612 > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > -- http:blog.blanknoise.org http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com mob: 0091 98868 40612 From rahulroy63 at gmail.com Tue Nov 17 13:00:56 2009 From: rahulroy63 at gmail.com (Rahul Roy) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:00:56 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [DFA NewsLetter] Fwd: Screening of The Other Song by Saba Dewan Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: James Beveridge Media Resource Centre Date: Fri, Nov 13, 2009 at 4:29 PM Subject: Invitation To: ** ** *JAMES BEVERIDGE MEDIA RESOURCE CENTRE** *Presents *"The Other Song” * * by * *SABA** DEWAN* * * On* November 20, 2009 at 3:00 p.m* * at the JB MRC ROOM, New Building Second Floor (New Building) AJK MCRC * *Jamia Millia Islamia* * * * * *The Other Song (2009)* is a journey in search of a forgotten song by the famous Rasoolan Bai that leads to the uncovering of histories, memories and fragments of songs that had long been banished into oblivion. The film concludes Saba Dewan’s trilogy of films on stigmatized women and deals with the art and lives of tawaifs (courtesans). * * *Awarded Mecenat prize for best documentary at the Pusan International Film Festival, 2009* * * *Saba Dewan* is an independent filmmaker whose work has focused on communalism, gender, sexuality and culture. Her notable films include *Dharmayuddha (Holy War, 1989), Nasoor (Festering Wound, 1990), Barf (Snow, 1994), Khel (The Play, 1996) and Sita’s Family (2001). * The two earlier films in the trilogy are *Delhi** –Mumbai – Delhi (2006)* on the lives of bar dancers and *Naach (The Dance, 2008)* on the lives of women who dance in rural fairs. Saba Dewan is also a Graduate of the AJK MCRC. * * -- Please DO NOT REPLY to the sender. To contact the MODERATOR: delhifilmarchive [at] gmail.com To UNSUBSCRIBE: send an email to delhifilmarchive-unsubscribe at googlegroups.com More OPTIONS are on the web: http://groups.google.com/group/delhifilmarchive Our WEBSITE: www.delhifilmarchive.org From radiofreealtair at gmail.com Wed Nov 18 20:37:08 2009 From: radiofreealtair at gmail.com (Anand Vivek Taneja) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:07:08 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Normalizing Hate Speech: A Response to Prof. Varadarajan's "Going Muslim" Message-ID: <8178da990911180707i66aa9250i5450a54775a42427@mail.gmail.com> This is an article written by a friend of mine, Aysha Ghani, who is a PhD candidate at Stanford. Given the latest debates on the list, I thought it would be of interest. Anand Normalizing Hate Speech: A Response to Prof. Varadarajan's "Going Muslim" Let me begin with this disconcerting premise: that we live in a world where anti-Islamic sentiments are becoming increasingly less recognizable as hate speech - that is, as speech that attempts to injure through essentializations produced as ‘facts’. The most recent example of this ‘phenomena,’ emerges in “Going Muslim,” the article written for Forbes Magazine by NYU Stern Professor of Business and Hoover Institute Fellow, Tunku Varadarajan. In search of answers for why and how this widening space of acceptability is being produced, I turn to the rhetorical form and content of his article for Forbes. Varadarajan begins by locating his argument in the context of the horrific Fort Hood killings undertaken by Nidal Hassan on November 5th. In attempting to understand how Hassan becomes ‘representative’ of American Muslims - indeed, to the extent that it necessitates the production of his theory, “going Muslim” - I have to assume that his narrative, although provoked by recent events at Fort Hood, is affected by an admixture of discourse around 9/11, the War on Terror and widespread American Punditry on what is referred to more generally as ‘the Muslim Problem.’ Embedded in his analysis is a warning to the American people, of the presence of an enemy within: the seemingly integrated American Muslim who can, at any moment, drop the American and emerge simply and dangerously as a Muslim. The fundamental equivocation in this argument: lose the American and the threat of the Muslim emerges. While he attempts to add a characteristically American flavor to the notion of “going Muslim” by placing it in conversation with a ‘phenomena’ more familiar – going postal - he quickly delineates their differences. If going postal describes a person who experiences a psychological snap, then going Muslim refers to a person who, in discarding “the camouflage of integration,” goes Muslim. Whereas, the actions of the ‘postal’ individual are devoid of calculation, the acts of the ‘Muslim’ are over-determined by calculation. Instead of presenting the possibility that one who ‘goes postal’ might have desired enacting the events leading up to that final fatal snap, or that Nidal Hassan may have been a psychologically unstable individual, Varadarajan leads us to believe is that the most important lesson to be learned from the Fort Hood incident is that Nidal Hassan is not a singular individual but rather a type of Muslim – one who reveals a tendency that ought to be understood as an emerging threat from Muslims in America. The coherence of Varadarajan’s narrative depends upon a suspension of logic. If the occlusion of possibilities presented thus far doesn’t compel a critical reading of his theory, then the set of assumptions that emerge in his analysis, particularly concerning what he has decided it means to be Muslim, ought to. The conflation between Islam and violence, of integration into American culture as an unreliable solution to the problem of Islam, and the equivocation between being Muslim and ‘being calculating’ are the epistemic basis of his argument. Yet, the absurdity of these assumptions does not restrict the possibility of Varadarajan's audience. Why? My own feeling is that this reveals something of the condition of the world we live in, a world in which these disturbing and homogenizing assumptions no longer strike us assumptions, and that this is particularly true when they are assumptions about Muslims. In an attempt to get at the heart of the problem, Varadarajan then beseeches the U.S. government to relinquish political correctness and get down to the business of protecting Americans on the basis of this singular and totalizing fact: that “Going Muslim” is – to invoke the language of the 1994 Hollywood blockbuster hit - a “ clear and present danger” in the United States. The fundamental flaw in this argument is that it requires we accept that the United States is concerned with political correctness, and more particularly, that is concerned about this correctness when it comes to Muslims. It requires that we accept this even as the U.S. government continues indiscriminate and unconstitutional practices and policies like indefinite detention targeted at Muslims and carried out in the absence of due process and established evidentiary standards. It requires that we accept this even as the last decade of American history provides evidence for two detrimental wars that have undoubtedly changed the face and future of the Arab and Muslim world. It requires also that we ignore the evidence produced on a 'smaller' scale: that we shut our eyes at border control offices filled by an overwhelming presence of Muslims, and that we forget that in the not so distant past, we listened as candidate Obama reaffirmed that he was a “church going Christian” in order to evade the possibility of losing the election because of an ‘allegation’ deemed tantamount to slander: that he might be Muslim. In the face of this contrasting understanding of the presence and function of political correctness in the United States, particularly in matters concerning Islam and Muslims, I am left to believe that the Professor and I reside in the same country but experience very different worlds. Yet, in the aftermath of "Going Muslim", I shudder to think that in expressing these sentiments, I too might be categorized as an un-integrated American Muslim. Of, course Varadarajan’s argument would be incomplete without policy recommendations for the State. To this end, he proposes “practical changes.” But if one takes a closer look at the language in these recommendations, there is a clear shift: he steps away from the heavy Muslim-centered approach of the preceding sections, now taking on more opaque language and logic. Why this inconsistency? If his policy changes emerge in response to the growing threat of Muslims in America, then why shy away from spelling it out in the policy, particularly after he ostracizes the American state for its alleged political correctness? In the third of his four-part list of policy recommendations, he reveals this more ambiguous approach par excellence. In reference to instances in which military personnel suspect remarks or behavior of fellow members that might indicate unfitness for duty, he suggests: “there should be a single high-level Pentagon or army department that follows all such cases in real time, whether the potential ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, radical Islamism, endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental unfitness.” Is Varadarajan saying that white supremacists might be ‘going Muslim’ as well? I must confess, I’m a little confused. After expounding upon the inherent tendencies, and thus dangers, of Islam, will I now be told that the 'Muslim' part of the phrase ‘going Muslim’ is less of a noun and more of a ‘verb’? That he is using this phrase to describe the calculating nature of individuals ‘like’ Nidal Hassan, who might technically be found amongst white supremacists as much as amongst what he, in this instance, for the first time, refers to as ‘radical’ Islamists? How am I to interpret this shift in language from “going Muslim” to ‘radical’ Islamists? As an attempt to conflate Muslims and radical Islamists, or an attempt to distinguish between them in the final instance? Is this Varadarajan’s way of telling me it’s nothing personal? Of presenting his rhetoric as nothing, at least ultimately, injurious? And, am I supposed to interpret this shift as ingenious or insidious? If that’s not the point either, or at least not the entire point ( and I say this because I think Varadarajan’s argument requires moving between all sorts of points - at times totalizing, at times discriminating - in order to avoid being reduced to hate mongering), then in combining the theory - “going Muslim” - with his more general policy recommendations, he seems to be asking the government to continue doing what is has been doing for a while: produce seemingly indiscriminate policies on paper only to then exercise them in discriminating ways. If that’s the case, then no worries, Prof. Varadarajan, the state has got your back, but thank you for presenting them with a case for using this age-old technique in yet another context. It’s a potent reminder that Huxley was right when he noted the following about our experience of history: “from age to age, nothing changes and yet everything is completely different”. I’ll end with another one from Huxley, but this time it’s dedicated especially to you: “A fanatic is a man who consciously over compensates a secret doubt.” Calling upon and speaking for the nation in order to assuage your own fears is not a new idea, the previous administration provides evidence for this, but let me know if it works. You see, I’m currently developing a few of my own fears, in particular, concerning the possibility of being under the tutelage of a professor who’s not only frightened by my Muslim presence, but who expresses this fear through hate speech that is neither recognized nor condemned as such. Aysha Ghani aghani at stanford.edu From shuddha at sarai.net Wed Nov 18 22:18:36 2009 From: shuddha at sarai.net (Shuddhabrata Sengupta) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:18:36 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0911150330p3a1d89e1mc5b33be2bc528c97@mail.gmail.com> References: <5af37bb0911122316y8f2f2bva9b578879307b577@mail.gmail.com> <206176.38954.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <5af37bb0911150306l1618bff7tb2a5418ea186bef3@mail.gmail.com> <5af37bb0911150330p3a1d89e1mc5b33be2bc528c97@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear all, The last that I remember, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who openly supported nationalist terrorism in British India, also wrote a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. You might find his thoughts on the cult of the bomb, quite interesting. In his day, he was as reviled as Osama Bin Laden by people writing editorials in London. Many of those who opposed British Rule in India, did so with the message of the holy war, ordained by their understanding of the Gita, as their inspiration. Naturally, we should assume, following Kshmendra;s logic, ( - 'the best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that they fit so often') that the image of the fanatical Hindu terrorist with a bomb in one hand and the Gita in another is an arresting and authentic way for us to understand Hinduism. I don't think that this is the most intelligent way to talk about the Hindu ways of life, but if you subscribe to an Islamophobic view of the world, then, you might as well also subscribe to a Hindu-hating, Christian-bashing, Jew-baiting view of the world as well. And of course, if you take into account the well documented complicity of Zen Buddhist orders in war crimes committed by the Japanese military in the second world war, then you might even be a Buddha-basher as well. Why leave anyone out? I find this entire discussion on the relative proximity of particular religions to violence, utterly, utterly pointless. It neither helps us understand violence, nor does it help us understand religion. regards, Shuddha On 15-Nov-09, at 5:00 PM, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > Dear KK, > > Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, which i have. > nice fit. > needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. > > secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. It was > announced on > the media channels that middle eastern folk had brought down the FBI > building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got trained by > christian > militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was against the US > government, like the other christian militias in the US at the > time, and FBI > and its operations against religious groups in particular, among > which the > Waco, Texas massacre stood out. > > so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one can overlook > at why > the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions in Iraq should > justify > al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. > > there's also this very american rant: > http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort > > this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US doing in > Afghanistan > and Iraq is the right discussion. > > best > > > > > On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > wrote: > >> Dear Yasir >> >> The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that >> they fit >> so often. >> >> It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without >> pondering >> over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a >> plausible >> one at that. >> >> It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in >> touch with >> Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with >> Pakistan; of >> Hasan in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of >> Allah). Media >> concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that >> might just be >> innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. >> >> Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian >> conspiracy. >> >> It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the >> Oklahoma >> Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a >> Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians. >> >> As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 >> >> >> Kshmendra >> >> >> --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر * >> wrote: >> >> >> From: yasir ~يا سر >> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. >> To: "sarai list" >> Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM >> >> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. >> an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. >> >> this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. >> >> the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers >> I'll take it as a sorting mistake. >> >> best >> >> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> Shuddhabrata Sengupta The Sarai Programme at CSDS Raqs Media Collective shuddha at sarai.net www.sarai.net www.raqsmediacollective.net From sukla.sen at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 23:28:53 2009 From: sukla.sen at gmail.com (Sukla Sen) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:28:53 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [GreenYouth] Nandan Nilekani's Confidential UID Document Leaked In-Reply-To: <35f96d470911130323n30c8661jaecbcabe5470dc53@mail.gmail.com> References: <35f96d470911130323n30c8661jaecbcabe5470dc53@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <9e2acadd0911130958m493c3e75wcbf35c53a98e4b80@mail.gmail.com> Thanks and Congrats! Sukla On 11/13/09, Anivar Aravind wrote: > > Wikileaks is a website that publishes anonymous submissions and leaks > of sensitive governmental, corporate, or religious documents, while > attempting to preserve the anonymity and untraceability of its > contributors. Wikileaks today published the Confidential plan on UID > > Wikileaks Tweet Says : Confidential plans for 1.2 billion ID cards: > Creating a unique ID for every resident in India http://tr.im/EShS > http://twitter.com/wikileaks/status/5675837002 > > There is enormous critiques to UID from various angles. UID authority > was not responding to various RTI Requests by pointing silly reasons. > > Last week a sarbajit roy Wrote the > following in a list about his complaint > > > *The Central Information Commission has undertaken a (very expeditious > for once) prima-facie enquiry into my Complaint (filed online) in RTI > Act that the UIDAI is not complying with mandate of RTI Act to > disclose its workings /processes proactively and involve the Indian > public in its decision making process. > > The CIC's first level enquiry has found merit in my complaint and has > summoned the senior-most officer of UIDAI (not Nandan Nilekani) to > appear before it next week. A senior officer of the Planning > Commission has also been summoned along with him - as an issue has > arisen if the UIDAI is an "authority" or merely an "attached office" > of the Planning Commission > * > > This leaking raises some serious issues . If UIDA is too much > concerned about the security of this leaked document and not > responding to numerous RTI requests about the project, It is the time > to think about the Security UIDA offers. Ho we can expect our data to > be safe with UIDA ? > > > ~ Regards > Anivar Aravind > > > > > -- > "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and > 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from > other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Green Youth Movement" group. > To post to this group, send email to greenyouth at googlegroups.com > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > greenyouth+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth?hl=en-GB > -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~--- > > From mahmood.farooqui at gmail.com Sun Nov 15 11:34:36 2009 From: mahmood.farooqui at gmail.com (mahmood farooqui) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:34:36 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] More New Dastangos Message-ID: Two new Dastangos Rana Senger and Sheikh Usman make their debut at the Bandra Festival Sunday, the 15th at 7 pm At the Pioneer Hall Near the Barista outlet at Lilavati Hospital Bandra From artscapeindia at gmail.com Fri Nov 13 17:11:45 2009 From: artscapeindia at gmail.com (Art, Resources & Teaching) Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:11:45 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Nov Music Event: Singing the Classical, Voicing the Modern In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <7397dac50911130341mdd7a4e2j28c54dd223e29ebb@mail.gmail.com> [image: http://artscapeindia.org/18novEmailerSingingtheClassicalVoicingtheModern.jpg] Please forward it to anyone interested. -- Art, Resources & Teaching Casa Andree II, First Floor, No.8 B 1 Andree Road, Shanti Nagar Bangalore 560 027 +91.80.4112.4556 info at artscapeindia.org www.artscapeindia.org From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 15 14:45:27 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 01:15:27 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] True face of Islamic Separatists of Kashmir Message-ID: <505887.51000.qm@web57207.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Apart from the Islamic Separatists of Kashmir themselves, there are some in other parts of India and on this List who would have us believe that the so called "Aazadi" movement in Kashmir is not an Islamic Separatist movement but a "secular" one.     Either they are themselves unthinking morons or treat their audience as being so.   Here is one of the Islamist Separatist leaders speaking "secular": """""" In his speech to a rally in the mountainous town, Mirwaiz asserted that Kashmir was incomplete without Jammu and that the Muslim dominated areas of the region would be taken into confidence at “every front.” """""" http://www.kashmirwatch.com/showexclusives.php?subaction=showfull&id=1258134242&archive=&start_from=&ucat=15&var1news=value1news   Kshmendra From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 15 19:18:10 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:48:10 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "From Kabul to Kashmir" Message-ID: <146920.91362.qm@web57205.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Selig Harrison finds a resonance in the tragedies of 9/11 for the USA and 26/11 for India. Fair enough.   Unlike the 9/11 for the USA though, the 'terror' and 'terrorist' export from Pakistan to India is not the story of 26/11 alone.   26/11 drew a lot of attention because of the 'live TV' coverage over a couple of days in the well known cosmpolitan city of Bombay.   It no more needs others to say so, Pakistanis themselves now comment on how the 'export' of 'terror' to India finds connected repercussions through the 'terror' that Pakistan itself is now facing.   Pakistan's 'bleed India' (through terror) policy reaches back in it's start to a few decades before 26/11.   Kshmendra     "From Kabul to Kashmir"   By Selig S. Harrison | NEWSWEEK   Published Nov 13, 2009   By all rights, the United States and India should be bound together by the shared tragedies of 9/11 and last year's terrorist attacks in Mumbai. India's size, economic-growth trajectory, and rising power as a stable, secular democracy in a dangerous part of the world ought to make it a key U.S. partner. Instead, Washington's single-minded focus on India's much smaller unstable neighbor, Pakistan, in carrying out the war on terror has increasingly strained its relations with New Delhi. To India's dismay, the U.S. has looked the other way while much of the $10.5 billion in military hardware and cash subsidies provided to the Pakistan Army for use against the Taliban has been diverted to building up arms capabilities targeted at India. Equally disturbing is that Washington has given only perfunctory support to India in pushing Pakistan to prosecute the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks.   The principal argument advanced to justify this focus is that the U.S. needs the cooperation of Pakistani generals to counter Al -Qaeda and the Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. But, far from helping, Islamabad is giving covert aid to the Taliban. It also has yet to provide the intelligence needed to root out Al Qaeda—a point driven home in October when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, referring to Al Qaeda, told an audience in Pakistan that it was "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."   To complicate matters further, many Pakistani leaders now argue that their country needs a strong Taliban in Afghanistan to offset the rising Indian influence there. The price for cutting its ties with the Taliban, Islamabad says, is a "grand bargain" in which India lowers its profile in Kabul and settles the Kashmir issue. This position is of a piece with the longstanding desire in Islamabad to make Afghanistan a satellite state that will provide "defense in depth" against New Delhi. In an interview with me in 1988, Pakistani President Mohammad Zia ul-Haq declared that "we have earned the right as a frontline state against the Russians to have a friendly regime in Kabul, a regime to our liking." Two decades later, a Pakistani general told the visiting U.S. Director of Intelligence Mike McConnell that "we must support the Taliban so that there is a government friendly to Pakistan in Kabul. Otherwise, India will reign." More recently, the spokesman for the Pakistan armed forces criticized the "overinvolvement of Indians in Afghanistan," specifically warning against any Indian aid in training the Afghan Army.   Most U.S. officials have ignored Pakistan's attack on the Indian presence in Kabul. But Gen. Stanley McChrystal echoed the Pakistani refrain in his assessment of the prospects in Afghanistan, stating that "increasing Indian influence in Afghanistan is likely to exacerbate regional tensions and encourage Pakistani countermeasures in Afghanistan or India." This was a bombshell in New Delhi, and the Obama administration should make clear that it is not opposed to more Indian influence in Kabul. The U.S. goal should be a sovereign Afghanistan, not the creation of an anti-Indian Pakistani satellite state. To this end, the U.S. and NATO should encourage India and other regional powers to play a greater role in shaping Afghanistan's future and in setting the terms for a gradual U.S.-NATO withdrawal. So far, Indian assistance to Kabul has consisted of just $1.2 billion in economic aid and police training, but it could offer a valuable addition to the currently ineffectual U.S.-NATO effort to train the Afghan Army.   As President Obama has observed, the Kashmir issue "is obviously a tar pit, diplomatically." That is because it is not a territorial issue. In Indian eyes, the retention of a Muslim-majority Kashmir is necessary to preserve India's character as a secular state in which 160 million Muslims coexist uneasily with a Hindu majority. By the same token, Pakistan gives Kashmir top priority to vindicate its creation as an Islamic state.   To be sure, significant progress was made during former president Pervez Musharraf's regime in exploring the terms for a thaw in Kashmir. But no proposal for a "grand bargain" would have any chance of success unless Islamabad prosecutes the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and destroys the Islamist paramilitary forces that threaten India and Pakistan. This is extremely unlikely, given the grip of Islamist sympathizers on the Pakistan Army. So while the U.S. should continue to give large-scale development aid to Pakistan, the focus of its attention in South Asia should shift to India—one of the few bright spots on the U.S. global horizon.   Harrison is director of the Asia Program at the Center for International Policy and a senior scholar of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.         http://www.newsweek.com/id/222631       From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 15 19:29:13 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:59:13 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "The convenient curtain of myth" Message-ID: <228593.90870.qm@web57207.mail.re3.yahoo.com> An appreciably honest and insightful introspection by Asif Akhtar about Pakistan.   Kshmendra     "The convenient curtain of myth"   Posted by Asif Akhtar in Featured Articles, Pakistan, Politics on 11 14th, 2009   Recently, I met some jihadis who have been in the business of holy war since the 1990s. I was surprised to hear that even though they were in support of the jihad in Afghanistan and Kashmir, they were opposed to the idea of destabilising Pakistan itself. When asked who was responsible for the suicide bombings and target killings they had an overarching theory to explain the tricky business. According to them, India, the United States, and Israel had colluded resources to create a super-agency to dishevel this entire region. Though they admitted that convincing a hardened jihadi that the government of Pakistan was also part of the enemy collaborative wasn’t too much of a stretch, they also added that a true jihadi would not be involved in the killing of innocent people.   Surprisingly enough, this whole India-US-Israel theory has a lot of popular currency these days in Pakistan, a country whose national sports should be lounge room politics and conspiracy theorising instead of cricket and hockey. The myriad of television talk-shows on every news channel are heavily relying on this theory of a triangulated axis of evil out to destroy Islam and Pakistan with one nifty stone’s throw of insurgent terror.   I don’t mean to dampen Pakistan’s highly built up superiority complex laced with self pity at the whole world’s always being out to get us, but has anyone ever thought of questioning why we always situate Pakistan at the centre of our world view? It is true that Pakistan is in the news a lot these days, and that the location of our borders in terms of resources and trade routes present significant geopolitical interests. But isn’t it a bit much to consider the current conflict in terms of issues that lie beyond the immediately obvious uses of Pakistan’s soil, and therefore hurl the current conflict in to the realm of myth and conspiracy?   Islamic mythology has obviously played a huge role in the formation of our national identity. It is telling that the history books we’re taught in school start from Mohenjodaro and Harappa, jump to the life of the Prophet in pagan Arabia, and then an interlude of early Islamic history until the likes of Muhammad bin Qasim finally brings Islam to the subcontinent. After that, the Muslim personalities involved in South Asian politics are closely followed up until the creation of Pakistan as a homeland for the Muslims.   Given this strange mix of religious indoctrination and nationalist propaganda, it isn’t a shock that our national identity is hopelessly intertwined with religion. The great ups and downs of our history are also then viewed though the mirror image of early Islamic Arabian history, starting with the Partition of 1947 where the oppressed Muslims in the land of infidels partake in a hijrah-like migration to greener pastures. This is also responsible for similar coinages as mohajir’s for people who migrated from the other side of the border, and of course the Muttahida Quami Movement as well. Looking across the border with the same deeply rooted scepticism through which we historically view pagan Mecca also comes with the national identity combo-meal.   After two wars with our neighbour that have been cloaked in the same historical-identity mirror as jihads which the Prophet Muhammad participated in – the 1965 war, where a small number of Muslims beat a larger threatening army of infidels akin to the scenario in Jang-e-Badar, and the 1971 war being similar to Jang-e-Uhad, where the Muslims suffered heavy losses owing to their greed and indiscipline. Kargil would then be seen as the Battle of the Trench, had it not ended with such a national disaster.   The idea of martyrdom has been historically very close to these times of crisis when national unity is a must. The list of the dozen or so shaheeds who gave their life for the country is also present in every textbook. Unfortunately, the idea of the martyr as a member of Pakistan’s armed forces has become one that is hotly contested in recent times, as the right to declare a martyr isn’t the sole prerogative of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The ISPR’s version of a shaheed in Waziristan is diametrically opposed to that of the TTP’s version of shaheed.   The same mujahids who valiantly fought in Kashmir and Afghanistan for Islam and Pakistan, seem to have turned on the Islamic Republic as the very fabric of propaganda which binds Islam with Pakistan is ruptured beyond repair. With the popularly elected government being portrayed as infidel rule propped up by the Americans, and the culture of the modern, westernised elites is labeled as shamelessness and excessive debauchery, it seems we’re caught in the middle of a storm where the hero can no longer be told apart from the enemy.   For decades, the enemy image coined in our heads has been that of the Islam-hating, darker-skinned Hindu at the eastern edge of our border. One can imagine how much violence the average Pakistanis’ worldview must have been subjected to when the heroic mujahid suddenly became the enemy, in less than a decade. A painful readjustment of the conventional enemy image is needed in order to re-galvanize the nation behind these destroyers of the idea of Pakistan.   This interesting transposition was evident in an armed forces award ceremony in which shaheeds from the current conflict were inducted into the ranks of those martyred in Pakistan’s conventional wars. The reenacted footage telegraphing each incident showed a mysterious tribal as the concealed enemy. The army also seems to be relying on foreigners being involved in the tribal areas as a way to distance the conflict from civil strife. The circulation of reports of large containers of alcohol belonging to Uzbek militants also seems to be a way of distancing Islam from the enemy.   However, it appears that instead of reevaluating things through a more rational approach, we’ve stuck to our patchwork quilt of mythological identity through a couple of quick-and-easy adjustments. As a matter of convenience for our security establishment, the principal enemy obviously remains India. But those polygamous infidels couldn’t possibly be the solely responsible for such an ingenious plan that redirects our tactics against them and literally brings the country to its knees? No, that’s not possible. So who could they possibly be in cahoots with?   Once again the answer is conveniently available from early Islamic Arabia, where the Meccan pagans were conspiring with scheming Jewish tribes. A simple transposition of the historical onto our mythological identity yields the result of India and Israel collaborating for the destruction of Pakistan, with the US sitting on the fringes like the Holy Roman Empire.   I think it’s time we quit hiding behind the convenient curtain of myth, and take the bitter pill of reality. For once, for that might help us frame this conflict in more rational terms and possibly lead us closer to a solution, rather than further feeding propaganda to the conflict. If the present reasoning of global evils out to destroy Islam and Pakistan continues, then the only answer is the apocalyptic war which is talked about in fringe mythologies related to the arrival of the Antichrist.   The last thing we want is for this to be a self-fulfilling prophecy! We need to step away from viewing this as a clash of civilisations, in terms of Islam versus the West. This is a misinformed dichotomy, since the West is not a religion, and Islam isn’t a geographical location. The more hopelessly intertwined our nationality becomes with a faux mythology, the more susceptible it becomes to being hijacked by those wishing to extract temporary gains from this vulnerability.   (Lahore-based Asif Akhtar is interested in critical social discourse as well as the expressive facets of reactive art and is one of the schizophrenic narrators of a graphic novel. He blogs at http://e-scape-artist.blogspot.com/ and tweets at http://twitter.com/e_scape_artist .)   http://blog.dawn.com/2009/11/14/the-convenient-curtain-of-myth/   From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 15 19:50:28 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:20:28 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" Message-ID: <944561.63811.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> These are the kind of Islamic precepts that are sought to be infused in Muslim citizens of  Non-Islamic countries.   In this context:   - is it surprising that the loyalty of Muslim citizens to their Non-Muslim countries tends to  be viewed with suspicion?   - does the "going Muslim" of Maj Hasan of Fort Hood massacre seem far fetched?   Kshmendra       Sunday, November 15, 2009   "Muslims must quit UK armed forces : Iranian envoy"   * Cleric says Islam forbids Muslim involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq wars * Iran entitled to pursue nuclear ambitions for peaceful purposes Daily Times Monitor   LAHORE: The Iranian Supreme Leader’s representative in Britain has told Muslim servicemen and women to quit the British armed forces, saying that Islam forbids their involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Talking to The Times, Ayatollah Abdul Hussain Moezi, personally appointed by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, also urged Muslims to defeat the opposition to the Iranian regime. In his first interview with the newspaper, Moezi, director of the Islamic Centre of England, said he regretted that protesters were killed by the Iranian security forces after the presidential election in June but that their deaths were “unavoidable”. Prohibition: The cleric, the most senior Iranian spiritual leader in Britain with thousands of Shia followers, said that it was wrong for Muslims to serve in the armed forces, especially in Afghanistan and Iraq where Muslims were being killed. “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go there, I don’t accept non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We say that Muslims are not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that Christians are allowed to go and kill Muslims?” The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last week of 13 American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim military psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not be used to tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim population. He said the 9/11 attacks and the London bombings were wrong but accused the forces of “Zionist imperialism” of using the atrocities to smear Islam and its followers. “I believe the Islamic revolution has been absorbed to the deepest parts of our society,” said Ayatollah Moezi, who has been in Britain since 2004 after serving as Khamenei’s special envoy to Vienna for four years. During the interview, he expressed his unease with some of the questions put to him, including those about the political situation in Iran. But he insisted that he would answer such questions to set the record straight and show that he was not afraid of being transparent and accountable. Moezi said he regretted the death of Neda Sultan, 26, a student, who the regime believes was killed by its enemies. The opposition maintains that she was killed by Iranian security forces. He said her killers should be brought to justice. Sultan, an Iranian student shot on June 20, has been held by Iran’s opposition movement and many in the West as a symbol of the regime’s brutality and suppression of human rights. Nuclear ambition: He said Iran was entitled to pursue its nuclear ambitions for peaceful purposes. “The fact that Iran is entitled to use atomic energy has been admitted by the whole world,” he added. Moezi believed that Islam and politics were “inter-mixed” because religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. And part of social issues is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of eye on political issues”. He insisted that his role in Britain was to provide spiritual advice to all Muslims, irrespective of their sectarian background, and encourage them to become more involved in British society through education and employment. “My personal belief is if Muslim migrants are better Muslims in this society, they can shape their individual lives in a better way and could be better members to this society,” he said.     From editor at intertheory.org Wed Nov 18 02:23:18 2009 From: editor at intertheory.org (Nicholas Ruiz III) Date: Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:53:18 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Kritikos V.6, September-October-November-2009 Message-ID: <85163.40200.qm@web301.biz.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Kritikos V.6, September-October-November-2009 Modernist Asylum Art and the Contemporary Consideration of Art...(g.coulter) Kritikos TV: Kucinich and Nader on H.R. 3962...(n.ruiz) http://intertheory.org/work.htm From sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in Wed Nov 18 22:57:08 2009 From: sub_sengupta at yahoo.co.in (subhrodip sengupta) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:57:08 +0530 (IST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results In-Reply-To: References: <726001.19184.qm@web112119.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <594109.43708.qm@web94707.mail.in2.yahoo.com> WELL said Jasmine, T-SHIRTS OF GIRLS read things that could hurt the morone whose who think of women as an endangered species. Like a lady whom I happen to like wore a t-shirt( I am not in the habbit of reading every thing that passes by!) which says if you like me raise your arms if not improve your standards. Kiss me, Hug me and Pat me are common wear. These do not ,ean that these girls are asking for something nobody can ask for eve teasing the suppressed lust inside us the intimidating nature inside us does it.......... This is amusing, at times disturbing to the mind of ignorant, guys might pretend to be provoked, at what? Expressing their true selves, their loving nature that is? Love this attitude, an eye opener for all, not only the teasers but the society at large. One thing, the gendered society has sweet people in at as well. A woman in a tight western dress gets up on a private bus stuffed with men. If she thinks disadvantage thats the end of the journey. People do like what they are suggested. A simple smile and getting over this fact puts the men on their guard preserving their role of being good natured, those old days romeos one remenbers. .... I shirk to think for the Bhaiya tag. Why force Bhai on a friendly male, even if he is too friendly.  There should be no guilt involved in expression of sensuality, ideally, for the male. On the womans part if she finds him attractive hovwever momentarily, whatever be her pious intentions, Bhaiya is Unacceptable. I tell to imposers, plz no Bhaiya, you like me, friends, if not, bye. I would never believe that women do it for nly those for whom they have sisterly feelings...........................       Hello A.K Malik The message is meant for anyone who reads it and most importantly for the one wearing it. What is going to be achieved is tough to answer in tangible terms. It hopefully reminds the wearer or the reader to walk without fear, without a sense of threat. Some of the Blank Noise Action Heroes( women who have participated in street actions / events) who now deliberately, slowly, walk right in the middle of the pavement and they get their space as well, because they are not walking with the idea that they don't 'belong' in the public. These conversations inspired the Step by Step Guide to Unapologetic Walking. Thank you for your suggestion on working with males. If you have specific ideas as to 'how' , do share them. http://bnguy.blanknoise.org/ Best wishes, Jasmeen On Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 10:39 PM, A.K. Malik wrote: > Dear Jasmeen Ji, >                I happened to see the blog site where girls are wearing tee > shirts with caption " Step by Step Guide to Unapologetic Walking tees are > ready".I am a little puzzled who is going to read  the entire message-is it > meant for men? Again problem. or women? What is going to be achieved ? > Don't want to comment on the rest because it is substantially true and I > see the harassment day-in day-out especially in the northern India. The blog > on Bangalore seemed true until a few years back but is not true these > days.Most women have males in their families.Why not try making them sane.It > may perhaps solve the problem. > Regards, > > (A.K.MALIK) > > > --- On Sun, 11/8/09, Jasmeen Patheja wrote: > > > From: Jasmeen Patheja > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll > Results > > To: "Meera Rizvi" > > Cc: "Readers list Yousuf Sarai." , "Hemangini > Gupta" > > Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009, 2:18 PM > > @ Meera and your response to > > Subhrodip > > > > I agree that there is no problem in showing your liking > > towards someone , > > but the question is HOW? > > how are you expressing it? does it sometimes take the form > > of stalking? > > > > 10 years ago I was stalked for 15 kms. I was on the bus and > > he was on the > > bike and he stopped at every bus stop and then it was my > > turn to get off the > > bus. > > I had to confront him and ask him why he was stalking me. > > He said he only > > wanted to ask me out for coffee and then he laughed. It was > > frightening. > > Yes he simply expressed interest  in an unwanted > > aggressive persuasive > > manner. Could we put him in the category of men who hear > > 'yes for no'- (*ladki > > ki na mein haan hai*). Or how do we respond to Annie's > > story > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/08/tale-of-lovelustwhateveritwas.html#links > > > > What form does this expression take? How much of it is a > > series of > > misinterpretations? How much of it is intends to > > intimidate? > > > > Blank Noise lists 'looking' in the 'eve teasing' opinioin > > poll and in the > > past it has been debated, questioned, rejected, accepted > > for its place > > there. This is not to say 'don't look' but to question HOW > > one is looking or > > how and or where one is looking. > > > > @ Rakesh > > Yes women do have the right to protest, to respond, to > > react > > but it is extremely challenging to walk around believing > > you( female ) can, > > because there's been such a history of fearing men, and of > > public spaces > > that belong mostly to men. There's been a history of > > believing that if you > > experience harassment, it is your fault and that 'you ask > > for it'. Too many > > women feel guilt for having been violated on the streets, > > they never speak > > about it for reasons such as ' why draw further attention > > to yourself and > > the body' that too in public. Street sexual harassment has > > been internalized. > > It would be insightful to observe how women and men walk, > > who walks fast, > > slow, occupies the middle of the pavement, maintains eye > > contact, carries > > things and more things, is on the phone. > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/06/step-by-step-guide-to-unapologetic.html > > > > We create events that ask women to be Action Heroes by > > simply occupying the > > streets in an idle state. This intervention challenges both > > the participant > > ( Action Hero) and the public itself. What is it like for > > women to be on the > > street to do nothing, to not have the phone, to not be > > constantly looking at > > the time as though waiting for someone, to not look anxious > > and nervous. > > What happens to the street when it witnesses such an event. > > We have had rows > > of men waiting, waiting for something to happen, or men > > walk up to a girl > > who is just standing there to ask her ' why are you > > standing here'? Just > > standing idle on the street becomes provocative. These > > events are designed > > with a 'what if' scenario in mind. What if there were a 100 > > idle yet > > 'unavailable' women on the street? > > The relationship with the city and public also becomes less > > fear based. > > > > My grandmother tells me that when she was in 12  , she > > would nervously walk > > through the lanes with her friend to go to school. She said > > she was nervous > > because she was scared the boys might tease her and > > therefore her > > 'reputation might be tarnished'. A few years ago I heard > > about a 10 year old > > girl from a Delhi slum who stopped going to school because > > she was harassed > > and 'teased' everyday on her way to school. A  year > > ago I met someone who > > had stepped out alone for the first time in 20 years. This > > was in > > Manchester. She was of south asian origin and had been > > living in Manchester > > > for 20 years. It was always assumed that she would go out > > with her family , > > never alone. Her story is here: > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2008/04/where-are-you-going.html > > > > Some more thoughts on this here: > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org/2009/10/on-being-asked-if-bangalore-is-safe-or.html#links > > > > > > Jasmeen > > > > http://blog.blanknoise.org > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 9:13 AM, Meera Rizvi > > wrote: > > > > > Dear Subhrodip, > > > > > > There is no problem in showing your liking for > > someone. Most women, and I > > > speak as a woman, are flattered by genuine admiration > > even if they do not > > > return it. Eve teasing refers to situations which feel > > disempowering to a > > > woman - where she feels scared, nervous and violated. > > These situations > > > depict contempt rather than admiration. > > > > > > So, if I am waiting for walking on a lonely road, and > > someone rides their > > > motorbike too close to me - I would consider it eve > > teasing even though > > > they > > > may not have touched or groped. If you are waiting on > > a lonely bus stop at > > > a > > > late hour and a car stops a few feet away from you, it > > makes most women > > > nervous. On the other hand, if the same thing happened > > when one was with a > > > gang of friends, it would not even register. Or if it > > did, it would be > > > amusing. > > > > > > So, in short, eve teasing, simply defined is an > > attempt to brow beat a > > > woman, to undermine her will and to snatch from her > > the freedom of choice. > > > Asking someone out politely is not eve teasing. > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Meera > > > > > > > > > On 11/1/09, subhrodip sengupta > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Forwarded Message ---- > > > > From: subhrodip sengupta > > > > To: Amit Basole > > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 9:13:38 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > > > > > > > Again what is the problem with showing a liking > > towards soebody's > > > feature. > > > > Does liking translate into disrespect or > > necessary intrusion into > > > another's > > > > space? Emotionally does it mean I have to be > > beautiful to  my lover only? > > > > The word only causes the problem. I am > > against  disaalowing somebody of > > > the > > > > beauties I enjoy. Isn't it true one need to > > objectify this as well. Self > > > > imposing oneself as a moral guardian only > > increases the problem. Let me > > > be > > > > more precise one of my best friends left me only > > because she felt I was > > > too > > > > dumb. > > > > Regarding Rakesh's convinction, may I ask if he > > had a recipe which the > > > > women used to ward off eve-teasers? Sone sort of > > charm that does not at > > > > least attract the wrong attraction? > > > > Taking up Ur's contribution regards US, Amit in > > Delhi, I have resolutely > > > > stopped looking at Vests and T-shirts of my dear > > womenfolk. I do not care > > > > that much for staring at boobs, but that I could > > not controll my emotions > > > > after reading whats on them. what I mean is, the > > intent of fashion is > > > often > > > > different from activism. Because i wear something > > does not mean I mean > > > it, > > > > so any kind of awareness movement or protest in > > the Us has not been > > > strong, > > > > lest effective. Regarding Sensitisation, creating > > gender awareness, let > > > me > > > > share my experience with U all. Every time the > > matter of the conversation > > > > would be diverted to a hypporictic world, as to > > how others ought to > > > behave, > > > > and that would involve Rama Sita, and a > > hollocaust.  Onl at times we > > > really > > > > talked about how women and men see each other, > > how could we set space for > > > > others---- men and women to come along. After all > > a public slur at one's > > > > sister is not the best greeting everybody likes > > in the morning! > > > > One should remember eve-teasing is only one form > > of harrasment, so gender > > > > abuse at work place, talking about somebody's sex > > life or breasts or even > > > > asking for favour is not eveteasing, touching > > private parts in a bus, > > > > definitely is. The distinction is the intimacy > > and purpose, other than > > > that > > > > of getting laid, which is just face of gender > > behaviour what is the > > > purpose? > > > > And as one of my friends used to tell me, Do not > > fear anything or anyone, > > > > ................... Bear the consequences of your > > action as well... What > > > is > > > > the problem to accept that we accidentally hurt > > someone? What is the > > > problem > > > > in getting slapped? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ________________________________ > > > > From: Amit Basole > > > > To: Rakesh Iyer > > > > Cc: Sarai List ; > > Hemangini Gupta < > > > > hemanginig at gmail.com>; > > Jasmeen Patheja > > > > Sent: Sun, 1 November, 2009 7:24:42 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'What Is Eve Teasing?' > > - Opinion Poll Results > > > > > > > > Regarding Kshemendra's query, for the record and > > speaking as a man, > > > > "talking > > > > to breasts" is a very common occurrence and lived > > reality for women not > > > > only > > > > in India but also other places. I recall t-shirts > > worn by women in the US > > > > where the line "I am up here" with an arrow > > pointing towards the head is > > > > printed across the chest. This is a form of > > protest against the practice. > > > > It > > > > is a type of objectification so common as to pass > > completely unnoticed by > > > > the man doing it or seeing other men do it. > > > > > > > > Amit > > > > > > > > On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:33 PM, Rakesh Iyer > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Dear Chandni > > > > > > > > > > I think the larger problem is that the > > people who feel uncomfortable > > > > don't > > > > > even open their mouth about it. And > > sometimes when they do, the society > > > > > doesn't listen at all to them. And hence > > suggestions like these. > > > > > > > > > > What is required is not only a debate among > > intellectual classes, but > > > > even > > > > > within the entire society. Here we have a > > society where if a rape were > > > > > taking place on the streets, half of us > > would be engaged in watching it > > > > and > > > > > even recording clips, some of whom would be > > even going to find out if > > > > they > > > > > have a chance of enjoyment or not, and the > > others would ignore it and > > > > walk > > > > > away. How many of us (including me) would > > actually like to be someone > > > who > > > > > is > > > > > the evidence of the crime and hence speak > > out against the accused? And > > > > how > > > > > many would actually go out and try to stop > > it, at least make an > > > attempt? > > > > > > > > > > And on top of this, once the rape is over, > > the girl will be blamed, not > > > > the > > > > > boy. As if the girl readily agreed for sex > > on the street to portray > > > > herself > > > > > as a porn actress. > > > > > > > > > > I am quite happy though that such views are > > indeed coming across, and > > > > would > > > > > like more such things. But we need to ask > > the questions which I did, in > > > > > addition to of course, those which can talk > > about how such situations > > > can > > > > > be > > > > > worked upon. In India, even the police and > > society generally says the > > > > same > > > > > thing as the BJP candidate said. > > > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > > media and the city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > Amit Basole > > > > Department of Economics > > > > Thompson Hall > > > > University of Massachusetts > > > > Amherst, MA 01003 > > > > Phone: 413-665-2463 > > > > http://www.people.umass.edu/abasole/ > > > > blog: http://thenoondaysun.blogspot.com/ > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > ________________________________ > > > > Yahoo! India has a new look. Take a sneak peek. > > > > > > > > > > > >      Now, send attachments up to > > 25MB with Yahoo! India Mail. Learn how. > > > > http://in.overview.mail.yahoo.com/photos > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Meera > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > -- > > http:blog.blanknoise.org > > > > http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com > > > > mob: 0091 98868 40612 > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > -- http:blog.blanknoise.org http:blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com mob: 0091 98868 40612 _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> ________________________________ From: Jasmeen Patheja To: A.K. Malik Cc: Sarai List ; Hemangini Gupta Sent: Sun, 15 November, 2009 6:40:39 PM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fw: 'What Is Eve Teasing?' - Opinion Poll Results The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage. http://in.yahoo.com/ From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Thu Nov 19 06:05:14 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:35:14 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <333696.80965.qm@web53606.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hi Shuddha, Could you please elaborate how you reached this conclusion? "I find this entire discussion on the relative proximity of particular religions to violence, utterly, utterly pointless. It neither helps us understand violence, nor does it help us understand religion." Thanks Rahul --- On Wed, 11/18/09, Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote: > From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. > To: "yasir ~يا سر" > Cc: "Sarai Reader-list" > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:18 PM > Dear all, > > The last that I remember, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who openly > supported  > nationalist terrorism in British India, also wrote a > commentary on  > the Bhagavad Gita. You might find his thoughts on the cult > of the  > bomb, quite interesting. In his day, he was as reviled as > Osama Bin  > Laden by people writing editorials in London. > > Many of those who opposed British Rule in India, did so > with the  > message of the holy war, ordained by their understanding of > the Gita,  > as their inspiration. Naturally, we should assume, > following  > Kshmendra;s logic, ( - 'the best (or worst) thing about > stereotypes  > (and cliches) is that they fit so often') that the image of > the  > fanatical Hindu terrorist with a bomb in one hand and the > Gita in  > another is an arresting and authentic way for us to > understand Hinduism. > > I don't think that this is the most intelligent way to talk > about the  > Hindu ways of life, but if you subscribe to an Islamophobic > view of  > the world, then, you might as well also subscribe to a > Hindu-hating,  > Christian-bashing, Jew-baiting view of the world as well. > > And of course, if you take into account the well > documented  > complicity of Zen Buddhist orders in war crimes committed > by the  > Japanese military in the second world war, then you might > even be a  > Buddha-basher as well. Why leave anyone out? > > I find this entire discussion on the relative proximity of > particular  > religions to violence, utterly, utterly pointless. It > neither helps  > us understand violence, nor does it help us understand > religion. > > regards, > > Shuddha > > > > On 15-Nov-09, at 5:00 PM, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > > > Dear KK, > > > > Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, > which i have.  > > nice fit. > > needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. > > > > secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. > It was  > > announced on > > the media channels that middle eastern folk had > brought down the  FBI > > building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got > trained by  > > christian > > militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was > against the US > > government, like the other christian militias in the > US at the  > > time, and FBI > > and its operations against religious groups in > particular, among  > > which the > > Waco, Texas massacre stood out. > > > > so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one > can overlook  > > at why > > the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions > in Iraq should  > > justify > > al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. > > > > there's also this very american rant: > > http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort > > > > this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US > doing in  > > Afghanistan > > and Iraq is the right discussion. > > > > best > > > > > > > > > > On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul  > > > wrote: > > > >>  Dear Yasir > >> > >> The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and > cliches) is that  > >> they fit > >> so often. > >> > >> It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably > Bullshit) without  > >> pondering > >> over possibilities. It shows being in a state of > denial and not a  > >> plausible > >> one at that. > >> > >> It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan > having been in  > >> touch with > >> Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial > transactions with  > >> Pakistan; of > >> Hasan  in his business card calling himself > "SoA" (Soldier of  > >> Allah). Media > >> concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and > pieces that  > >> might just be > >> innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. > >> > >> Then of course, all this might be an > American-Israeli-Indian  > >> conspiracy. > >> > >> It is interesting that you should mention Tim > McVeigh and the  > >> Oklahoma > >> Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim > it as a strike by a > >> Christian (if McVeigh was one) against > Non-Christians. > >> > >> As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an > agnostic. See: > >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 > >> > >> > >> Kshmendra > >> > >> > >> --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر *  > > >> wrote: > >> > >> > >> From: yasir ~يا سر > >> > >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - > America after Fort Hood. > >> To: "sarai list" > >> Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM > >> > >> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. > >> an exercise in how to make full use of the worst > stereotypes. > >> > >> this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. > >> > >> the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by > postal workers > >> I'll take it as a sorting mistake. > >> > >> best > >> > >> > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with  > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > Shuddhabrata Sengupta > The Sarai Programme at CSDS > Raqs Media Collective > shuddha at sarai.net > www.sarai.net > www.raqsmediacollective.net > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Thu Nov 19 06:11:47 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:41:47 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Normalizing Hate Speech: A Response to Prof. Varadarajan's "Going Muslim" In-Reply-To: <8178da990911180707i66aa9250i5450a54775a42427@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <452995.9969.qm@web53602.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hi Anand, Do you know what your friend means by Muslim world below: >It requires that we >accept this even as the last decade of American history provides evidence >for two detrimental wars that have undoubtedly changed the face and future >of the Arab and Muslim world What are the characteristics of Muslim World and how has the face and future of Muslim World changed? Thanks Rahul --- On Wed, 11/18/09, Anand Vivek Taneja wrote: > From: Anand Vivek Taneja > Subject: [Reader-list] Normalizing Hate Speech: A Response to Prof. Varadarajan's "Going Muslim" > To: "Reader List" > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 8:37 PM > This is an article written by a > friend of mine, Aysha Ghani, who is a PhD > candidate at Stanford. > Given the latest debates on the list, I thought it would be > of interest. > > Anand > > > Normalizing Hate Speech: A Response to Prof. Varadarajan's > "Going Muslim" > > Let me begin with this disconcerting premise: that we live > in a world where > anti-Islamic sentiments are becoming increasingly less > recognizable as hate > speech - that is, as speech that attempts to injure > through > essentializations produced as ‘facts’. The most recent > example of this > ‘phenomena,’ emerges in “Going Muslim,” the article > written for Forbes > Magazine by NYU Stern Professor of Business  and > Hoover Institute Fellow, > Tunku Varadarajan. In search of answers for why and how > this widening space > of acceptability is being produced, I turn to the > rhetorical form and > content of his article for Forbes. > > Varadarajan begins by locating his argument in the context > of the horrific > Fort Hood killings undertaken by Nidal Hassan on November > 5th. In attempting > to understand how Hassan becomes ‘representative’ of > American Muslims - > indeed, to the extent that it necessitates the production > of his theory, > “going Muslim” - I have to assume that his narrative, > although provoked by > recent events at Fort Hood, is affected by an admixture of > discourse around > 9/11, the War on Terror and widespread American Punditry on > what is referred > to more generally as ‘the Muslim Problem.’ > > Embedded in his analysis is a warning to the American > people, of the > presence of an enemy within: the seemingly integrated > American Muslim who > can, at any moment, drop the American and emerge simply and > dangerously as a > Muslim. The fundamental equivocation in this argument: lose > the American and > the threat of the Muslim emerges. While he attempts to add > a > characteristically American flavor to the notion of > “going Muslim” by > placing it in conversation with a ‘phenomena’ more > familiar – going postal - > he quickly delineates their differences. If going postal > describes a person > who experiences a psychological snap, then going Muslim > refers to a person > who, in discarding “the camouflage of integration,” > goes Muslim.  Whereas, > the actions of the ‘postal’ individual are devoid of > calculation, the acts > of the ‘Muslim’ are over-determined by calculation. > Instead of presenting > the possibility that one who ‘goes postal’ might have > desired enacting the > events leading up to that final fatal snap, or that Nidal > Hassan may have > been a psychologically unstable individual, Varadarajan > leads us to believe > is that the most important lesson to be learned from the > Fort Hood incident > is that Nidal Hassan is not a singular individual but > rather a type of > Muslim – one who reveals a tendency that ought to be > understood as an > emerging threat from Muslims in America. The coherence of > Varadarajan’s > narrative depends upon a suspension of logic. > > If the occlusion of possibilities presented thus far > doesn’t compel a > critical reading of his theory, then the set of assumptions > that emerge in > his analysis, particularly concerning what he has decided > it means to be > Muslim, ought to. The conflation between Islam and > violence, of integration > into American culture as an unreliable solution to the > problem of Islam, and > the equivocation between being Muslim and ‘being > calculating’ are the > epistemic basis of his argument.  Yet, the absurdity > of these assumptions > does not restrict the possibility of Varadarajan's > audience.  Why? My own > feeling is that this reveals something of the condition of > the world we live > in, a world in which these disturbing and homogenizing > assumptions no longer > strike us assumptions, and that this is particularly true > when they are > assumptions about Muslims. > > In an attempt to get at the heart of the problem, > Varadarajan then beseeches > the U.S. government to relinquish political correctness and > get down to the > business of protecting Americans on the basis of this > singular and > totalizing fact:  that “Going Muslim” is – to > invoke the language of the > 1994 Hollywood blockbuster hit - a “ clear and present > danger” in the United > States. The fundamental flaw in this argument is that it > requires we accept > that the United States is concerned with political > correctness, and more > particularly, that is concerned about this correctness when > it comes to > Muslims. It requires that we accept this even as the U.S. > government > continues indiscriminate and unconstitutional practices and > policies like > indefinite detention targeted at Muslims and carried out in > the absence of > due process and established evidentiary standards. It > requires that we > accept this even as the last decade of American history > provides evidence > for two detrimental wars that have undoubtedly changed the > face and future > of the Arab and Muslim world. It requires also that we > ignore the evidence > produced on a 'smaller' scale:  that we shut our eyes > at border control > offices filled by an overwhelming presence of Muslims, and > that we forget > that in the not so distant past, we listened as candidate > Obama reaffirmed > that he was a “church going Christian” in order to > evade the possibility of > losing the election because of an ‘allegation’ deemed > tantamount to slander: > that he might be Muslim. > > In the face of this contrasting understanding of the > presence and function > of political correctness in the United States, particularly > in matters > concerning Islam and Muslims, I am left to believe that the > Professor and I > reside in the same country but experience very different > worlds. Yet, in the > aftermath of "Going Muslim", I shudder to think that in > expressing these > sentiments, I too might be categorized as an un-integrated > American Muslim. > > Of, course Varadarajan’s argument would be incomplete > without policy > recommendations for the State. To this end, he proposes > “practical changes.” > But if one takes a closer look at the language in these > recommendations, > there is a clear shift: he steps away from the heavy > Muslim-centered > approach of the preceding sections, now taking on more > opaque language and > logic. Why this inconsistency? If his policy changes emerge > in response to > the growing threat of Muslims in America, then why shy away > from spelling it > out in the policy, particularly after he ostracizes the > American state for > its alleged political correctness? In the third of his > four-part list of > policy recommendations, he reveals this more ambiguous > approach par > excellence. In reference to instances in which military > personnel suspect > remarks or behavior of fellow members that might indicate > unfitness for > duty, he suggests: “there should be a single high-level > Pentagon or army > department that follows all such cases in real time, > whether the potential > ground for alarm is sympathy with white supremacism, > radical Islamism, > endorsement of suicide bombing or simple mental > unfitness.” > > Is Varadarajan saying that white supremacists might be > ‘going Muslim’ as > well? I must confess, I’m a little confused. After > expounding upon the > inherent tendencies, and thus dangers, of Islam, will I now > be told that the > 'Muslim' part of the phrase ‘going Muslim’ is less of a > noun and more of a > ‘verb’? That he is using this phrase to describe the > calculating nature of > individuals ‘like’ Nidal Hassan, who might technically > be found amongst > white supremacists as much as amongst what he, in this > instance, for the > first time, refers to as ‘radical’ Islamists? How am I > to interpret this > shift in language from “going Muslim” to ‘radical’ > Islamists? As an attempt > to conflate Muslims and radical Islamists, or an > attempt  to distinguish > between them in the final instance? Is this Varadarajan’s > way of telling me > it’s nothing personal? Of presenting his rhetoric as > nothing, at least > ultimately, injurious? And, am I supposed to interpret this > shift as > ingenious or insidious? > > If that’s not the point either, or at least not the > entire point ( and I say > this because I think Varadarajan’s argument requires > moving between all > sorts of points - at times totalizing, at times > discriminating - in order to > avoid being reduced to hate mongering), then in combining > the theory - > “going Muslim” - with his more general policy > recommendations, he seems to > be asking the government to continue doing what is has been > doing for a > while: produce seemingly indiscriminate policies on paper > only to then > exercise them in discriminating ways. If that’s the case, > then no worries, > Prof. Varadarajan, the state has got your back, but thank > you for presenting > them with a case for using this age-old technique in yet > another context. > It’s a potent reminder that Huxley was right when he > noted the following > about our experience of history: “from age to age, > nothing changes and yet > everything is completely different”. I’ll end with > another one from Huxley, > but this time it’s dedicated especially to you: “A > fanatic is a man who > consciously over compensates a secret doubt.” Calling > upon and speaking for > the nation in order to assuage your own fears is not a new > idea, the > previous administration provides evidence for this, but let > me know if it > works. You see, I’m currently developing a few of my own > fears, in > particular, concerning the possibility of being under the > tutelage of a > professor who’s not only frightened by my Muslim > presence, but who expresses > this fear through hate speech that is neither recognized > nor condemned as > such. > > Aysha Ghani > aghani at stanford.edu > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Thu Nov 19 06:24:49 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:54:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0911180021s5b3e3c8ev757d315518dfa605@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <205126.51538.qm@web53611.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Yasir, Are you saying that the extremist interpretation of Islam is equally valid as the peace loving one? Thanks Rahul --- On Wed, 11/18/09, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > From: yasir ~يا سر > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:51 PM > the world has been modern for a long > time. > > this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he does not > advise that > involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam.  ::  > cannot be made. > > because :: there is no central authority to decide this. > what you have is > all historical stuff of muslim kings.why should one king, > one person,,one > family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, one > neighbor.......be like > another muslim ??  or another conqueror. the record is > actually is mixed but > overall not so bad. it is even remarkable and uncomparable > in places. so why > not take that as a muslim characteristic ? > > and why don't you. its simply the mass of bias amassing > itself. > > best > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > > > Dear Anupam > > > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the citizens of a > country that they > > should not (in this case) join the Military, that is > problematic. Moezi is > > free to issue his advisories in his own country. > > > > I was quoting this an an example of why the "loyalty > of Muslim citizens to > > their Non-Muslim countries tends to  be viewed > with suspicion?". Because by > > not challenging such statements and not asking such > persons to not interfere > > in their lives as citizens, they get identified with > the statements. They > > damn well will be looked upon with suspicions about > their loyalty to the > > country. > > > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their involvement in the > Afghanistan and Iraq > > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > > > Mark that, he does not advise that involvement in wars > is forbidden in > > Islam. > > > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) that Moezi is a > 'peacenik', shouldnt > > he make a start with advising people in Iran not to > join the Military in > > Iran. > > > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill Muslims and > Christians are not > > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed to kill > everyone else? > > > > Let us not be naive. > > > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics were > “inter-mixed” because > > religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. > And part of social issues > > is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of > eye on political > > issues”. """""" > > > > Fair enough and valid enough for your own Islamic > country. I doubt it that > > it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic country. > > > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on > political issues but > > it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud > pronouncements try to > > propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the > Muslim citizens of a > > Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for > those Muslims. > > > > Kshmendra > > > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant in the ongoing > congregation of > > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, ranting > against the Taliban: > > > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow their > brand of Islam infidels, > > not knowing they are inviting the wrath of Allah the > almighty by killing > > Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, """" > > > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if Muslim kills > Muslim. It becomes an > > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim kills > Non-Muslim? What defines a > > "holy crusade" ? > > > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the Tabhligis are > Sunnis. Note the > > identicality of attitudes. > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty > wrote: > > > > > > From: anupam chakravartty > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK > armed forces" > > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > > Cc: "sarai list" > > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM > > > > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail report: > > > > > > “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go > there, I don’t accept > > non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We > say that Muslims are > > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that > Christians are > > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last > week of 13 > > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim > military > > psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not > be used to > > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim > population." > > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > > > It is very clear that the appeal is not for the > Muslims but for anyone > > who is opposed to the occupation of forces in these > countries and also > > who are opposed to things like war in any nation. I > think I can very > > well read it as a caution against any form of war or > violence waged by > > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was wrong in > interpreting what > > this man was talking about? I am sure being a Muslim, > and an Iranian > > is a peril in these times. Here allegiance to a flag > is not the issue. > > In a phased manner thousands of young men are exposed > to this conflict > > of energy-terror-security. after UK and US have been > waging this war > > at the cost of these lives. would anyone deny the > increasing number of > > coffins being brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan? > there is no > > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a fellow comrade > is matter of > > pride and motivation, but what are these soldiers > fighting for? > > > > -anupam > > > > > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer > wrote: > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK > armed forces" > > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > > > Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail > to Sarai, having read > > some > > > of the most shocking kind of statements, > presented in a very dubious > > manner > > > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either > traitors, or that they > > > can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. > > > > > > It is disgusting that some people have assumed > that Muslims are loyal not > > to > > > their own conscience or even to the nations which > they are citizens of, > > but > > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to > the Mullahs and Maulvis > > who > > > for them are more important than what the law of > the land states. Some > > > people on this forum, as also elsewhere across > the nation, media and > > among > > > others, have thought this to be obvious. > > > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to make such > conjectures and > > perception-based > > > statements unless one has done an academic study > on this issue, to find > > out > > > the effect of what such statements do, or how > many among the Muslims > > across > > > different nations, not only in India, but also in > Europe and others, are > > > actually involved in terrorist activities, or at > the least, supporting > > the > > > ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I > don't know myself about any > > > such study having been conducted in India or any > other nation for that > > > matter; if any of you has anything or any study > to prove so, please do > > put > > > it forward. > > > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims across India or > other regions have to > > prove > > > their loyalty because of these shameful > perceptions. It's on this > > perception > > > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is > stating that UP and Bihar > > people > > > are actually taking over the jobs of the > Marathis. The ironic thing is > > that > > > in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. > of migrants to Mumbai > > is > > > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the > largest) are from within > > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which > when added to Maharashtra > > > migrants come over to close to 60%) and then > Gujarat. Where does even > > Bihar > > > come into the picture? And all these statistics > are based on a UNDP-BMC > > > survey report which has been done recently. And > the report also says that > > > the situation has been the same with little > difference in composition of > > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > > > When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to > Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > > Bin > > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, > Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > > the > > > local Mullah on the street for that matter? And > how many Muslims even > > made > > > that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim > family which always supported > > > Pakistan in matches against India, but for that > one family, I know of at > > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to > shower at Pakistan when > > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. > Infact, some of them even > > claim > > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to > Pakistan? (although I do agree > > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or > anybody including the > > Hindu > > > Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the > views of the Hindus. > > Who > > > are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even > know what being a Hindu > > is, > > > or what Hinduism is? The same argument even > extends to those who think > > they > > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what > Islam is? Have they > > even > > > studied the Koran properly, and do understand in > what context what has > > been > > > said? Every person has the right to speak for > himself/herself. > > > > > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even > Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > > others. > > > If you want to question someone for his/her > beliefs, don't ask questions > > to > > > anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume > that somebody has got > > the > > > right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband > conference doesn't have > > the > > > right to speak for Muslims across India, forget > across even entire > > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > > > > As far as the content of the previous mail is > concerned, I think there > > are > > > positives to be taken, many of them. We should > respect those. At the same > > > time, the representative has a right to request > Muslims not to join the > > > forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That > doesn't mean Muslims > > will, > > > by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. > It's their right to accept > > or > > > not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have > a right to do, is to > > > explain to them why this perspective is skewed or > not, depending on our > > > value system and judgement. > > > > > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims are > traitors or not traitors. Each > > > individual is different, please go ahead and > respect their individuality. > > > > > > Rakesh > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > the city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > subscribe > > > in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with > > subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From anivar at movingrepublic.org Thu Nov 19 07:09:24 2009 From: anivar at movingrepublic.org (Anivar Aravind) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:39:24 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] UIDAI is not operational says GoI to Central Info Commission Message-ID: <35f96d470911181739s78cf0d68t2c8fda170cab22@mail.gmail.com> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: sarbajit roy Date: Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 5:54 PM Subject: [rti_india] UIDAI is not operational says GoI to Central Info Commission To: rti_india The Planning Commission has stated in writing (with a copy to me) to the Central Information Commission that the UIDAI is not operational and it has only 1 officer on its rolls at present ( orally: and they are also under an eviction notice to vacate their offices.at Yojana Bhawan and arrange private office space since GoI has no space for them. ). NN was described as a "only a media hero" The order of CIC is expected soon after today's hearings. Incidentally the "secret" document was admitted and a direction as sought by PC from the CIC to "order it to be published on Planning Commission website - and we would comply" - which was rightly rejected out of hand. The CIC was also duly informed that the secret doc was not prepared by the UIDAI but with "private" help from NN's Infosys and international "friends". Furthermore despite being sanctioned a budget of Rs 120 crore for this year the UIDAI officer has not spent even a single rupee so far because of non-notification of UIDAI. The most hilarious joke during proceedings was that "the Authority responsible for maintaining the world's largest computer database cannot even put up a website of its own" Sarbajit Anivar Aravind -- "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth -- "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Thu Nov 19 12:30:26 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (CologneOFF) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:26 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091119080026.801F2EB5.BA61C18E@192.168.0.3> CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org Video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database --> Today, 19 November 2009---> "Benefits of War" by Nitin Das (India) http://vad.nmartproject.net From yasir.media at gmail.com Thu Nov 19 12:51:27 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:21:27 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <205126.51538.qm@web53611.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <5af37bb0911180021s5b3e3c8ev757d315518dfa605@mail.gmail.com> <205126.51538.qm@web53611.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911182321q368cb2c5v838c057425d419e6@mail.gmail.com> Dear Rahul I dont know how you inferred that, or from where. but taking yr question as it is: I am not at all saying that the first is a valid interpretation. but i cannot deny that there are (and have been) people who think it is a valid interpretation throughout history. so it is also an internal perrenial problem to be dealt with without at all compromising on the valid views. not unlike a continuous movement or revolution. thats there too. so I am saying some revivalists are plain wrong and wrong-headed best On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Rahul Asthana wrote: > Yasir, > Are you saying that the extremist interpretation of Islam is equally valid > as the peace loving one? > > Thanks > Rahul > > --- On Wed, 11/18/09, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:51 PM > > the world has been modern for a long > > time. > > > > this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he does not > > advise that > > involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam. :: > > cannot be made. > > > > because :: there is no central authority to decide this. > > what you have is > > all historical stuff of muslim kings.why should one king, > > one person,,one > > family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, one > > neighbor.......be like > > another muslim ?? or another conqueror. the record is > > actually is mixed but > > overall not so bad. it is even remarkable and uncomparable > > in places. so why > > not take that as a muslim characteristic ? > > > > and why don't you. its simply the mass of bias amassing > > itself. > > > > best > > > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra Kaul >wrote: > > > > > Dear Anupam > > > > > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the citizens of a > > country that they > > > should not (in this case) join the Military, that is > > problematic. Moezi is > > > free to issue his advisories in his own country. > > > > > > I was quoting this an an example of why the "loyalty > > of Muslim citizens to > > > their Non-Muslim countries tends to be viewed > > with suspicion?". Because by > > > not challenging such statements and not asking such > > persons to not interfere > > > in their lives as citizens, they get identified with > > the statements. They > > > damn well will be looked upon with suspicions about > > their loyalty to the > > > country. > > > > > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their involvement in the > > Afghanistan and Iraq > > > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > > > > > Mark that, he does not advise that involvement in wars > > is forbidden in > > > Islam. > > > > > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) that Moezi is a > > 'peacenik', shouldnt > > > he make a start with advising people in Iran not to > > join the Military in > > > Iran. > > > > > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill Muslims and > > Christians are not > > > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed to kill > > everyone else? > > > > > > Let us not be naive. > > > > > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics were > > “inter-mixed” because > > > religion “could not be ignorant of social issues. > > And part of social issues > > > is politics, therefore Islam should have some sort of > > eye on political > > > issues”. """""" > > > > > > Fair enough and valid enough for your own Islamic > > country. I doubt it that > > > it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic country. > > > > > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it wants to on > > political issues but > > > it should do so in Islamic Countries. When your loud > > pronouncements try to > > > propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness to the > > Muslim citizens of a > > > Non-Islamic country then you are creating problems for > > those Muslims. > > > > > > Kshmendra > > > > > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant in the ongoing > > congregation of > > > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, ranting > > against the Taliban: > > > > > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow their > > brand of Islam infidels, > > > not knowing they are inviting the wrath of Allah the > > almighty by killing > > > Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, """" > > > > > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if Muslim kills > > Muslim. It becomes an > > > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim kills > > Non-Muslim? What defines a > > > "holy crusade" ? > > > > > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the Tabhligis are > > Sunnis. Note the > > > identicality of attitudes. > > > > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > From: anupam chakravartty > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK > > armed forces" > > > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > > > Cc: "sarai list" > > > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM > > > > > > > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail report: > > > > > > > > > “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims to go > > there, I don’t accept > > > non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi said. “We > > say that Muslims are > > > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you think that > > Christians are > > > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > > > > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in Texas last > > week of 13 > > > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a Muslim > > military > > > psychiatrist and insisted that the incident should not > > be used to > > > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 billion Muslim > > population." > > > > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > > > > > It is very clear that the appeal is not for the > > Muslims but for anyone > > > who is opposed to the occupation of forces in these > > countries and also > > > who are opposed to things like war in any nation. I > > think I can very > > > well read it as a caution against any form of war or > > violence waged by > > > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was wrong in > > interpreting what > > > this man was talking about? I am sure being a Muslim, > > and an Iranian > > > is a peril in these times. Here allegiance to a flag > > is not the issue. > > > In a phased manner thousands of young men are exposed > > to this conflict > > > of energy-terror-security. after UK and US have been > > waging this war > > > at the cost of these lives. would anyone deny the > > increasing number of > > > coffins being brought back from Iraq and Afghanistan? > > there is no > > > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a fellow comrade > > is matter of > > > pride and motivation, but what are these soldiers > > fighting for? > > > > > > -anupam > > > > > > > > > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer > > wrote: > > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > > > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims must quit UK > > armed forces" > > > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > > > > > Today, after a long time, am I sending one mail > > to Sarai, having read > > > some > > > > of the most shocking kind of statements, > > presented in a very dubious > > > manner > > > > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims are either > > traitors, or that they > > > > can't be loyal to anybody except to the Ummah. > > > > > > > > It is disgusting that some people have assumed > > that Muslims are loyal not > > > to > > > > their own conscience or even to the nations which > > they are citizens of, > > > but > > > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi regime, or to > > the Mullahs and Maulvis > > > who > > > > for them are more important than what the law of > > the land states. Some > > > > people on this forum, as also elsewhere across > > the nation, media and > > > among > > > > others, have thought this to be obvious. > > > > > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to make such > > conjectures and > > > perception-based > > > > statements unless one has done an academic study > > on this issue, to find > > > out > > > > the effect of what such statements do, or how > > many among the Muslims > > > across > > > > different nations, not only in India, but also in > > Europe and others, are > > > > actually involved in terrorist activities, or at > > the least, supporting > > > the > > > > ideology of terrorism or even the Al-Qaeda. I > > don't know myself about any > > > > such study having been conducted in India or any > > other nation for that > > > > matter; if any of you has anything or any study > > to prove so, please do > > > put > > > > it forward. > > > > > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims across India or > > other regions have to > > > prove > > > > their loyalty because of these shameful > > perceptions. It's on this > > > perception > > > > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who is > > stating that UP and Bihar > > > people > > > > are actually taking over the jobs of the > > Marathis. The ironic thing is > > > that > > > > in a newspaper article I have read, the total no. > > of migrants to Mumbai > > > is > > > > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% (the > > largest) are from within > > > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh (which > > when added to Maharashtra > > > > migrants come over to close to 60%) and then > > Gujarat. Where does even > > > Bihar > > > > come into the picture? And all these statistics > > are based on a UNDP-BMC > > > > survey report which has been done recently. And > > the report also says that > > > > the situation has been the same with little > > difference in composition of > > > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > > > > > When did Muslims claim that they are loyal to > > Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > > > Bin > > > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed Salahuddin, > > Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > > > the > > > > local Mullah on the street for that matter? And > > how many Muslims even > > > made > > > > that claim? I know definitely of one Muslim > > family which always supported > > > > Pakistan in matches against India, but for that > > one family, I know of at > > > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had abuses to > > shower at Pakistan when > > > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in 2007. > > Infact, some of them even > > > claim > > > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal to > > Pakistan? (although I do agree > > > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it RSS, VHP or > > anybody including the > > > Hindu > > > > Munnani say something, I don't consider it as the > > views of the Hindus. > > > Who > > > > are they to represent the Hindus? Do they even > > know what being a Hindu > > > is, > > > > or what Hinduism is? The same argument even > > extends to those who think > > > they > > > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they know what > > Islam is? Have they > > > even > > > > studied the Koran properly, and do understand in > > what context what has > > > been > > > > said? Every person has the right to speak for > > himself/herself. > > > > > > > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or even > > Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > > > others. > > > > If you want to question someone for his/her > > beliefs, don't ask questions > > > to > > > > anyone else but that person alone. Neither assume > > that somebody has got > > > the > > > > right to speak on behalf of others. One Deoband > > conference doesn't have > > > the > > > > right to speak for Muslims across India, forget > > across even entire > > > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as the content of the previous mail is > > concerned, I think there > > > are > > > > positives to be taken, many of them. We should > > respect those. At the same > > > > time, the representative has a right to request > > Muslims not to join the > > > > forces, and his perspective is skewed, fine. That > > doesn't mean Muslims > > > will, > > > > by default, accept it. Muslims don't have to. > > It's their right to accept > > > or > > > > not accept, this skewed perspective. What we have > > a right to do, is to > > > > explain to them why this perspective is skewed or > > not, depending on our > > > > value system and judgement. > > > > > > > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims are > > traitors or not traitors. Each > > > > individual is different, please go ahead and > > respect their individuality. > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > subscribe > > > > in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > From kiccovich at yahoo.com Thu Nov 19 13:22:46 2009 From: kiccovich at yahoo.com (francesca recchia) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:52:46 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] jugad Message-ID: <973891.67623.qm@web113207.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> Dear all Last summer I came across (thanks to Inder Salim) the concept of "jugad" and was totally taken aback by its interpretive potentials in the study of slums - which is one of my fields of interest. I would be really grateful if you could suggest any writing on the concept of jugad as a form of creative responsiveness and practical knowledge. Many Thanks francesca francesca recchia kiccovich at yahoo.com it +39 338 166 3648 iq +964 (0) 750 7085 681 http://www.veleno.tv/bollettini/ From 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com Thu Nov 19 14:13:20 2009 From: 2tahamehmood at googlemail.com (Taha Mehmood) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:43:20 +0000 Subject: [Reader-list] UIDAI is not operational says GoI to Central Info Commission In-Reply-To: <35f96d470911181739s78cf0d68t2c8fda170cab22@mail.gmail.com> References: <35f96d470911181739s78cf0d68t2c8fda170cab22@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <65be9bf40911190043u33e5fea9o1cdb0051048595ba@mail.gmail.com> no wonder NN has been roaming around TV channels, giving sundry interviews with an infectious smile, however, I think given the possibility of the scale of money involved, it wouldn't be long before UIDAI will have something concrete. In the meanwhile the Ministry of Consumer Affairs have introduced two new numbers, called DIN and CIN. Director Identification Number is a database of personal information on the Directors of Private Companies in India while Corporate Identity Number is an attempt to uniquely identity companies. I was immediately reminded of a Gujarat like scenario when in 2002 there were reports of how rioters were able to correctly identify the names of real owners behind seemingly innocuous names 'Sihv Shakti Autos' and dilute them. I would imagine that with CIN and DIN in place, thankfully we could look forward to a more decent manner of bloodletting in the years to come. On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 1:39 AM, Anivar Aravind wrote: > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: sarbajit roy > Date: Wed, Nov 18, 2009 at 5:54 PM > Subject: [rti_india] UIDAI is not operational says GoI to Central Info > Commission > To: rti_india > > >  The Planning Commission has stated in writing (with a copy to me) to > the Central Information Commission that the UIDAI is not operational > and it has only 1 officer on its rolls at present ( orally: and they > are also under an eviction notice to vacate their offices.at Yojana > Bhawan and arrange private office space since GoI has no space for > them. ). NN was described as a "only a media hero" > > The order of CIC is expected soon after today's hearings. > > Incidentally the "secret" document was admitted and a direction as > sought by PC from the CIC to "order it to be published on Planning > Commission website - and we would comply" - which was rightly rejected > out of hand. The CIC was also duly informed that the secret > doc was not prepared by the UIDAI but with "private" help from NN's > Infosys and international "friends". Furthermore despite being > sanctioned a budget of Rs 120 crore for this year the UIDAI officer > has not spent even a single rupee so far because of non-notification > of UIDAI. > > The most hilarious joke during proceedings was that "the Authority > responsible for maintaining the world's largest computer database > cannot even put up a website of its own" > > Sarbajit > > > > Anivar Aravind > -- > "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and > 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from > other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth > > -- > "[It is not] possible to distinguish between 'numerical' and > 'nonnumerical' algorithms, as if numbers were somehow different from > other kinds of precise information." - Donald Knuth > From abhinanditamathur at gmail.com Thu Nov 19 17:17:42 2009 From: abhinanditamathur at gmail.com (abhinandita mathur) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:17:42 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] hug a Kashmiri day Message-ID: <19aa1b810911190347o32378b73p3ba673ad36b12a8f@mail.gmail.com> Hug a Kashmir Day: new facebook game http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196414722752&ref=nf Copy Pasted from the event page: Type: Causes - Protest Network: Global Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Time: 12:00am - 11:55pm Location: Because Kashmiris Need Hugs Too Instructions: 1. Find a Kashmiri - not just an Indian. 2. Double-check that they are Kashmiri. 3. Hug the Kashmiri. 4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3. Don't be intimidated...just get in there and hug them! Do you not know what a Kashmiri is? Here are some criteria/tips: 1. Anyone who decends, either in part or in whole, from Indian-Administered, Pakistani-Administered, or Chinese-OCCUPIED Kashmir. 2. Try the nose-test. If a nose is longer than 6cm, the person is undoubtedly Kashmiri. 3. Note: You may NOT be considered a Kashmiri just because you have lived in Kashmir. It's in the blood. This is an open event. Anyone can join and invite others to join. From c.anupam at gmail.com Thu Nov 19 17:31:57 2009 From: c.anupam at gmail.com (anupam chakravartty) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:31:57 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] hug a Kashmiri day In-Reply-To: <19aa1b810911190347o32378b73p3ba673ad36b12a8f@mail.gmail.com> References: <19aa1b810911190347o32378b73p3ba673ad36b12a8f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <341380d00911190401h1d668992hc1614ee874e72966@mail.gmail.com> I could understand the concern for Kashmiris but are we not reducing them to our pets devoid of love and nutrients? Its really shocking!! And the criterion: "3. Note: You may NOT be considered a Kashmiri just because you have lived in Kashmir. It's in the blood. I hope its not one of the face book jokes. Kindly do not stereotype people to this extent. It is my personal view. I am not looking forward to any explanation or a reply. On 11/19/09, abhinandita mathur wrote: > Hug a Kashmir Day: new facebook game > > http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=196414722752&ref=nf > > Copy Pasted from the event page: > > Type: Causes - Protest > Network: Global > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 > Time: 12:00am - 11:55pm > Location: Because Kashmiris Need Hugs Too > > Instructions: > > 1. Find a Kashmiri - not just an Indian. > 2. Double-check that they are Kashmiri. > 3. Hug the Kashmiri. > 4. Repeat Steps 1 to 3. > > Don't be intimidated...just get in there and hug them! > > Do you not know what a Kashmiri is? Here are some criteria/tips: > > 1. Anyone who decends, either in part or in whole, from > Indian-Administered, Pakistani-Administered, or Chinese-OCCUPIED > Kashmir. > 2. Try the nose-test. If a nose is longer than 6cm, the person is > undoubtedly Kashmiri. > 3. Note: You may NOT be considered a Kashmiri just because you have > lived in Kashmir. It's in the blood. > > This is an open event. Anyone can join and invite others to join. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe > in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Thu Nov 19 20:03:05 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:33:05 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <746642.47259.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Shuddha   The history and Present of human conflict is from two critical factors. One of Space and the other of Freedoms. This is true for conflict between individuals, or institutions, or the progressively larger social sets of families, societies, countries. It also holds true for conflicts within an individual.   No Freedom is absolute and no Space is unfenced. Disrespect that and you will get conflict.   You are right. Nobody should be left out. Be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Leftist, Rightist ...... whoever. Certainly bash them all if they are disrespecting Freedoms and Spaces.   It should be done whenever Religion/Ideology are so propagated and used to instigate or provoke violence. Irrespective of whether it touches upon inter-religion/ideology or intra-religion/ideology, it should be done when one set of adherents of a particular Religion/Ideology declare their pre-eminence over all the others by some or the other diktat of a notional Divine or it's Regent.   The conversations that were taking place might not help you understand violence or religion. It does not mean that others might not get some inklings from it. You might have (if you have) already formulated your understanding of violence and religion. That does not mean others have too and that they should not converse and make their own formulations. What might be "utterly utterly pointless" for you might not be so for others.   Let me for a moment grant your dismissal as being valid. Let me agree for the moment that the enlightenment of some degree of understanding could not be found in the conversations.   It is equally important to speak and speak out against the obviousness of Religion/Ideology being used to instigate or provoke violence or being used for declaring the pre-eminence of one set of adherents of a particular Religion/Ideology over all the others.   That the discussion was on "relative proximity of particular religions to violence" is your phrasing. To categorise it as Islamophobic is your interpretation.   By your logic if there is a discussion on how Hindus are using Hinduism to instigate or provoke violence or for declaring the pre-eminence of one set of adherents of Hinduism over all the others then it should be seen as Hinduphobia.   Your Wellsian reach back to picking a Tilak here a Buddhist there to make your points on the pointlessness of the discussion is a flawed argument.   The role Religions played in instigating or provoking conflicts, in the Past is well known. Krishna did it, Mohammed did it, Gobind did it. You say Tilak did it. Jinnah did it. Some opine that the "apostle of peace' Gandhi did it.     The Present has reflections from the Past but the Present might not agree with the Past in content or in attitude.   Whether it is concerning Hindus or Muslims, discussions (in the context referred to above) are needed. Whether you or someone else sees that as Hinduphobia or Islamophobia does not invalidate the need for such discussions.    Kshmendra     --- On Wed, 11/18/09, Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote: From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. To: "yasir ~يا سر" Cc: "Sarai Reader-list" Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:18 PM Dear all, The last that I remember, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who openly supported  nationalist terrorism in British India, also wrote a commentary on  the Bhagavad Gita. You might find his thoughts on the cult of the  bomb, quite interesting. In his day, he was as reviled as Osama Bin  Laden by people writing editorials in London. Many of those who opposed British Rule in India, did so with the  message of the holy war, ordained by their understanding of the Gita,  as their inspiration. Naturally, we should assume, following  Kshmendra;s logic, ( - 'the best (or worst) thing about stereotypes  (and cliches) is that they fit so often') that the image of the  fanatical Hindu terrorist with a bomb in one hand and the Gita in  another is an arresting and authentic way for us to understand Hinduism. I don't think that this is the most intelligent way to talk about the  Hindu ways of life, but if you subscribe to an Islamophobic view of  the world, then, you might as well also subscribe to a Hindu-hating,  Christian-bashing, Jew-baiting view of the world as well. And of course, if you take into account the well documented  complicity of Zen Buddhist orders in war crimes committed by the  Japanese military in the second world war, then you might even be a  Buddha-basher as well. Why leave anyone out? I find this entire discussion on the relative proximity of particular  religions to violence, utterly, utterly pointless. It neither helps  us understand violence, nor does it help us understand religion. regards, Shuddha On 15-Nov-09, at 5:00 PM, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > Dear KK, > > Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, which i have.  > nice fit. > needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. > > secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. It was  > announced on > the media channels that middle eastern folk had brought down the  FBI > building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got trained by  > christian > militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was against the US > government, like the other christian militias in the US at the  > time, and FBI > and its operations against religious groups in particular, among  > which the > Waco, Texas massacre stood out. > > so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one can overlook  > at why > the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions in Iraq should  > justify > al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. > > there's also this very american rant: > http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort > > this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US doing in  > Afghanistan > and Iraq is the right discussion. > > best > > > > > On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul  > wrote: > >>  Dear Yasir >> >> The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that  >> they fit >> so often. >> >> It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without  >> pondering >> over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a  >> plausible >> one at that. >> >> It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in  >> touch with >> Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with  >> Pakistan; of >> Hasan  in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of  >> Allah). Media >> concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that  >> might just be >> innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. >> >> Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian  >> conspiracy. >> >> It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the  >> Oklahoma >> Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a >> Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians. >> >> As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: >> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 >> >> >> Kshmendra >> >> >> --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر *  >> wrote: >> >> >> From: yasir ~يا سر >> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. >> To: "sarai list" >> Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM >> >> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. >> an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. >> >> this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. >> >> the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers >> I'll take it as a sorting mistake. >> >> best >> >> > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with  > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> Shuddhabrata Sengupta The Sarai Programme at CSDS Raqs Media Collective shuddha at sarai.net www.sarai.net www.raqsmediacollective.net _________________________________________ reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. Critiques & Collaborations To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Thu Nov 19 21:31:41 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:31:41 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Job Available: Program Officer with India Carbon Outlook in Delhi In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: From: Pawan Mehra Date: Nov 18, 2009 ------------ Role: Program Officer cKinetics is looking for a self-starter who would support building out India Carbon Outlook: an offline+online information marketplace meant for the diverse players interested in carbon abatement in India. Background: India Carbon Outlook was launched in end Sep 2009 as part of cKinetics’ commitment at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. The announcement was made at the heels of India’s recent decision to voluntarily move towards a low carbon future. India Carbon Outlook’s goal is to track activities as India moves towards developing as a low carbon economy. It has been designed to address the information and transparency needs at the policy and market level by identifying, tracking and highlighting market interventions thus catalyzing the mainstreaming of the low carbon emission initiatives. Role: This is a multi-disciplinary roll. The role would entail activities including: 1. Researching ongoing happenings in areas such as green-tech, policy, etc. and articulating them in research reports and articles. 2. Supporting editing activities for content getting generated for India Carbon Outlook. 3. Providing logistical support for the print publication and for organizing round-tables and workshops. 4. Aiding business negotiations and discussions related to India Carbon Outlook. About you: • You are looking to join a start-up in its early stages and share in the rewards of building an institution. • You are a proactive and independent person who has a demonstrated passion as relates to climate change and carbon abatement. You must: • Have Excellent English communication and have strong analytical skills. • Have a Masters degree and 2+ years of relevant work experience; or a bachelors degree and 4+ years of relevant work experience. • Be web and technology savvy especially when it comes to using the office suite. It would be nice if you had: • Experience with a consulting firm, a policy think-tank, a publication or an industry association. Location: New Delhi, India Compensation: Commensurate with experience If you are interested, please write to us with a resume and also include a note on why you fit the profile. Email Pawan Mehra or Upendra Bhatt at: contact at ckinetics.com Additional background: http://India.Carbon-Outlook.com http://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2009/09/25/prnewswire200909251923PR_NEWS_USPR_____NY82318.html From indersalim at gmail.com Fri Nov 20 00:23:52 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:23:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. In-Reply-To: <746642.47259.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> References: <746642.47259.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <47e122a70911191053m552e31ebkdd7aa20e793bf48@mail.gmail.com> 1. "No Freedom is absolute and no Space is unfenced" the above from text by dear kshmendra if all the spaces are fenced then how to understand freedom do we need to break the fences to realize freedom? or we recognize the obvious and salute it. it is perhaps like that, if there is no freedom, because of fences around all of us, trapped individuals, closed communites, boardered States? what to do? Art and culture ( its radical thought even) too becomes then the property of 'fenced spaces' disrespecting spaces, as we know in the past has gifted us positive changes. Its good or bad is another mttter, but changes do occur as when people begin to feel stifled by a system of over guarded fences. 2. The disucssion on religon and its relationship with violence is grounded here because West Orchastrated it over the period of time, and now countries like India are imitating those tunes, and so we see 'Islamization' as something which only produces hate for the other. saying that " the Present might not agree with the Past in content or in attitude" also means that Americanization of the world is more lethal to the earth than islamic terrorism is. just read, that Cars are more dangerous than AIDS. which is not a good news for American ( whatever ) economy with love IS On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 8:03 PM, Kshmendra Kaul wrote: > Dear Shuddha > > The history and Present of human conflict is from two critical factors. One of Space and the other of Freedoms. This is true for conflict between individuals, or institutions, or the progressively larger social sets of families, societies, countries. It also holds true for conflicts within an individual. > > No Freedom is absolute and no Space is unfenced. Disrespect that and you will get conflict. > > You are right. Nobody should be left out. Be it Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Atheist, Agnostic, Leftist, Rightist ...... whoever. Certainly bash them all if they are disrespecting Freedoms and Spaces. > > It should be done whenever Religion/Ideology are so propagated and used to instigate or provoke violence. Irrespective of whether it touches upon inter-religion/ideology or intra-religion/ideology, it should be done when one set of adherents of a particular Religion/Ideology declare their pre-eminence over all the others by some or the other diktat of a notional Divine or it's Regent. > > The conversations that were taking place might not help you understand violence or religion. It does not mean that others might not get some inklings from it. You might have (if you have) already formulated your understanding of violence and religion. That does not mean others have too and that they should not converse and make their own formulations. What might be "utterly utterly pointless" for you might not be so for others. > > Let me for a moment grant your dismissal as being valid. Let me agree for the moment that the enlightenment of some degree of understanding could not be found in the conversations. > > It is equally important to speak and speak out against the obviousness of Religion/Ideology being used to instigate or provoke violence or being used for declaring the pre-eminence of one set of adherents of a particular Religion/Ideology over all the others. > > That the discussion was on "relative proximity of particular religions to violence" is your phrasing. To categorise it as Islamophobic is your interpretation. > > By your logic if there is a discussion on how Hindus are using Hinduism to instigate or provoke violence or for declaring the pre-eminence of one set of adherents of Hinduism over all the others then it should be seen as Hinduphobia. > > Your Wellsian reach back to picking a Tilak here a Buddhist there to make your points on the pointlessness of the discussion is a flawed argument. > > The role Religions played in instigating or provoking conflicts, in the Past is well known. Krishna did it, Mohammed did it, Gobind did it. You say Tilak did it. Jinnah did it. Some opine that the "apostle of peace' Gandhi did it. > > The Present has reflections from the Past but the Present might not agree with the Past in content or in attitude. > > Whether it is concerning Hindus or Muslims, discussions (in the context referred to above) are needed. Whether you or someone else sees that as Hinduphobia or Islamophobia does not invalidate the need for such discussions. > > Kshmendra > > > --- On Wed, 11/18/09, Shuddhabrata Sengupta wrote: > > > From: Shuddhabrata Sengupta > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. > To: "yasir ~يا سر" > Cc: "Sarai Reader-list" > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 10:18 PM > > > Dear all, > > The last that I remember, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who openly supported > nationalist terrorism in British India, also wrote a commentary on > the Bhagavad Gita. You might find his thoughts on the cult of the > bomb, quite interesting. In his day, he was as reviled as Osama Bin > Laden by people writing editorials in London. > > Many of those who opposed British Rule in India, did so with the > message of the holy war, ordained by their understanding of the Gita, > as their inspiration. Naturally, we should assume, following > Kshmendra;s logic, ( - 'the best (or worst) thing about stereotypes > (and cliches) is that they fit so often') that the image of the > fanatical Hindu terrorist with a bomb in one hand and the Gita in > another is an arresting and authentic way for us to understand Hinduism. > > I don't think that this is the most intelligent way to talk about the > Hindu ways of life, but if you subscribe to an Islamophobic view of > the world, then, you might as well also subscribe to a Hindu-hating, > Christian-bashing, Jew-baiting view of the world as well. > > And of course, if you take into account the well documented > complicity of Zen Buddhist orders in war crimes committed by the > Japanese military in the second world war, then you might even be a > Buddha-basher as well. Why leave anyone out? > > I find this entire discussion on the relative proximity of particular > religions to violence, utterly, utterly pointless. It neither helps > us understand violence, nor does it help us understand religion. > > regards, > > Shuddha > > > > On 15-Nov-09, at 5:00 PM, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > >> Dear KK, >> >> Following your logic, I have al-qaeda connections, which i have. >> nice fit. >> needless to say, I say allah ho akbar quite often. >> >> secondly it wasn't important what Mc Veigh was saying. It was >> announced on >> the media channels that middle eastern folk had brought down the  FBI >> building. whether McVeigh liked shish kabob or got trained by >> christian >> militias in lebanon, i dont know. but certainly he was against the US >> government, like the other christian militias in the US at the >> time, and FBI >> and its operations against religious groups in particular, among >> which the >> Waco, Texas massacre stood out. >> >> so certainly by pointing out that he was agnostic, one can overlook >> at why >> the FBI got bombed in the first place. so US actions in Iraq should >> justify >> al-qaeda and this killing spree in Fort Hodd, but no. >> >> there's also this very american rant: >> http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/american_muslims_to_fort >> >> this is the wrong discussion to have. What is the US doing in >> Afghanistan >> and Iraq is the right discussion. >> >> best >> >> >> >> >> On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 6:59 PM, Kshmendra Kaul >> wrote: >> >>>  Dear Yasir >>> >>> The best (or worst) thing about stereotypes (and cliches) is that >>> they fit >>> so often. >>> >>> It is easy to dismiss with a "bs" (presumably Bullshit) without >>> pondering >>> over possibilities. It shows being in a state of denial and not a >>> plausible >>> one at that. >>> >>> It is early days and we now have reports of Hasan having been in >>> touch with >>> Radical Islamists; of Hasan having financial transactions with >>> Pakistan; of >>> Hasan  in his business card calling himself "SoA" (Soldier of >>> Allah). Media >>> concoctions? Dont know. But certainly are bits and pieces that >>> might just be >>> innocent coincidences but makes you wonder. >>> >>> Then of course, all this might be an American-Israeli-Indian >>> conspiracy. >>> >>> It is interesting that you should mention Tim McVeigh and the >>> Oklahoma >>> Bombing. As far as I know, McVeigh did not claim it as a strike by a >>> Christian (if McVeigh was one) against Non-Christians. >>> >>> As per one report McVeigh proclaimed himself an agnostic. See: >>> http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/jun/11/mcveigh.usa4 >>> >>> >>> Kshmendra >>> >>> >>> --- On *Fri, 11/13/09, yasir ~يا سر * >>> wrote: >>> >>> >>> From: yasir ~يا سر >>> >>> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] 'Going Muslim' - America after Fort Hood. >>> To: "sarai list" >>> Date: Friday, November 13, 2009, 12:46 PM >>> >>> what a stinking piece of hate this article is. >>> an exercise in how to make full use of the worst stereotypes. >>> >>> this is just postal. rest is bs. pc or no pc. >>> >>> the FBI building in Oklahoma wasnt bombed by postal workers >>> I'll take it as a sorting mistake. >>> >>> best >>> >>> >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: > > Shuddhabrata Sengupta > The Sarai Programme at CSDS > Raqs Media Collective > shuddha at sarai.net > www.sarai.net > www.raqsmediacollective.net > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Fri Nov 20 13:21:01 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (CologneOFF) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:51:01 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091120085101.991D76D0.6D5F1615@192.168.0.3> CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org Video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database --> Today, 20 November 2009---> "dead SEEquences" by Fabio Scacchioli (Italy) http://vad.nmartproject.net ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded as PDF for free-->> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videoChannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival on MICROWAVE - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 -------------------------------------------- The entire festival consisting of 5 programs including 78 films and videos can be accessed online via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From indersalim at gmail.com Fri Nov 20 20:34:51 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:34:51 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai Message-ID: <47e122a70911200704n177ca615x5dc9a6946119adaa@mail.gmail.com> Yasin Malik ko gusa kyoun aata hai? Recently, i managed a ' Biradari meeting ' (civil society meeting ) in Jammu to settle my personal land dispute with my Ist cousin, who sold my ancestral property ( home ) clendestinely in Kashmir. My counsin, being too elderly, started with things alien to the core dispute. Some personal attacks and lies which made me angry, and i shouted in the middle of his opening presentation, which perhaps ruined the chances of a just settlement. The case is still in the High court, but 'out of court' settlement is difficult to arrive , because he is now the beneficiary of our decadent' civil' legal procedures, and even if settled in my favour, he has really very little to lose, except to part away with the 1/2 share which is already mine. And why he should he honour the ' biradari' , money after all matters. I regret that the meeting failed, not because i lost my cool, but that i was optimistic about powers of ' biradiri'. Now, i should either forget my rights, or throw stones at him. The pain in the ass is that i cant forget my rights, and neither i can throw stones... only diplomats, lawayers, judges and other such high profile ranks are trained to mask their emotions. Common man , often speak what they feel is true, even loudly. Because, we live in the mundane reality of our reality, which looks existential from most of the angles. And the reality is contaminated, both literally and metaphorically. unfortunately the trend is diplomatically speading to other circles as well, and the worst is that this so called cool mannerism falls in the catagory of non-violence, and ah, the rest is violence! Creative people, i guess, ought to deal with violence creatively. Indeed, violence creates violence, and so catogorized, but who two people do live in peace ? It is not a black and white game. Burning British garments was Gandhi's creative political move, which has nothing to do with Violence or non-violence. Perhaps, Jinnah was less creative and could not think beyond his master idea: Pakistan. Some sense of humour could have changed the destiny of millions in 1947, but alas. Given the fact that people can be defined beyond this violence non-violence binary, which might give us the idea why we beleive in civil societies, and for what, if not to undersand the anger of a community or even an individual. To say, that a clean shaven politican X is non-violent in comparison to a militant named Y is again our own limitation to enter the maze of our society. Any society is intrinsically made up of a mosaic of different realites, violence and non-violence are just two colours in it. Stragely enough, we human beings proliferate on earth by being so violent to each other in the first place, and simultaneously to the nautre as well, and yet we keep on talking about the de-merits of non-violence. Quite ironica, and if we think only about the explicit forms of non-violence we are again doing some violence to the subject. Non-violence is one of most profound subjects, because it often begins with that ' know they self' thing, and then the other. And do we have a formula to manifest ' the self' ? Since Mahabarata, we have zillions of cases related to land dispute, and millions pending in our courts for the same reason. The violence erupts from that sense of not being to own what our given complex beings desire. It is true that we dont know what we actualy want, and yet we have a reason to pick up a fight for protecting what we feel we possess. Here, i may start writing on why Yasin Malik expressed anger about 'Kashmir issue' in a recent ' civil' meeting at Delhi's Teen Murti. But that is again a repetition of what we already know......given the fact that 'Kahsmir issue' is now thoroughly internalized in the valley minds; they feel it is personal. The violence of ' the past' has perhaps made it happen like that. with love is -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From image.science at donau-uni.ac.at Fri Nov 20 21:48:16 2009 From: image.science at donau-uni.ac.at (Image Science) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:18:16 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] Database of Virtual Art : Collective Tool for the Field Message-ID: <4B06CF580200007D000095AF@gwgwia.donau-uni.ac.at> Pioneer in the field, the Database of Virtual Art (DVA) has been documenting the rapidly evolving digital installation art for more than a decade. Cooperating with known media artists, researchers and institutions as members allows the DVA to develop into the collective project in the field. There have been a number of online archives supported over the years, but almost all no longer have funding and have either disappeared or exist in a frozen condition. The DVA is beginning a renewed phase of further development with existing and new members. Based on the *concept of expanded documentation* it epitomizes a collective, *facebook-like* project dedicated to media art. 500 artists selected from over 5000 applicants offer the best selection of thousands of high quality artworks. Besides the artists, more than 300 theorists and mediaarthistorians are contributors. The DVA is a scholarly project and from the beginning a university-based endeavor. NEW FEATURES of the DVA ::: ::: Optimized upload system allowing contributors to add, revise, & cross-link information in a clear online procedure. ::: Artists can easily upload videos, as well as work descriptions, digital documents, technical data, institutions and bios. ::: This rich online resource has a systematic thesaurus built from various international keyword systems. ::: Any contributor from the field can submit to the news-ticker. www.virtualart.at Inviting a new wave of contributions to use the enhanced and improved interface. ::::::: Database of Virtual Art ::::: ADVISORY BOARD :::::: Roy ASCOTT, Beryl GRAHAM, Erkki HUHTAMO, Jorge LA FERLA, Gunalan NADARAJAN, Christiane PAUL, Martin ROTH, Steve WILSON http://www.virtualart.at/about/advisory-board.html PERFECT COMBINATION Beside the Database of Virtual Art - the Goettweig Print Collection (www.gssg.at) containing 30.000 original prints from Renaissance to Baroque until now, allows in-depth research into its large resources. We are glad to report that Danube University is able to provide open archives contextualizing media art in art and image history. DANUBE UNIVERSITY The Department for Image Science offers a Master of Arts program MediaArtHistories: www.donau-uni.ac.at/dis www.donau-uni.ac.at/mah The DVA is partner of: Re:Live - World Conference on the Histories of Media Art, Science and Technology www.mediaarthistory.org DANUBE TELELECTURES : www.donau-uni.ac.at/telelectures From taraprakash at gmail.com Fri Nov 20 22:41:03 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:11:03 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai References: <47e122a70911200704n177ca615x5dc9a6946119adaa@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> Cousin Yasin Malik is as likely to sell my land without my permission as cousin Manmohan Singh is. The latter is a distant cousin so my protest is likely to be louder and more vociferous if the latter sells my land. In that case scenario my closer cousin is also likely to join me in demonstrating anger. He didn't have personally to lose, but he lost the opportunity to gain. I am sorry for your plight Inder, but what happened is not really unusual; the problem is not exclusive for you or for the "valley". You, Mr. Malik and Mr. Thakuray are all justified in demonstrating their anger. Anger is a natural human emotion, it has to find its way in to you, if people don't have an issue, they can create one. If we don't lose our land, we lose our identity. Did you see a recent anger on an old song demonstrated by an organization that seems to have run out of issues? I wish people were as angry about child labour, corruption, discrimination on the basis of wealth, or lack thereof. Some fatvas, some trishools, some anger, to rectify these problems are so much needed. As about the distant and close cousins they often happen to be the rulers of our destiny: Kya afrangi, kya tatari Aankh bachi aur barchi mari Kab tak janta ki bechani Kab tak janta ki bezari Kab tak sarmaye ke dhandhe Kab tak ye saramayadari? Badal bijali rain andhiyari Dukh ki mari parja sari Bacche burhe sab dukhiya hain Dukhiya nar hai dukhya nari Basti basti loot machi hai Sab baniye hain sab vyapari. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" To: "reader-list" Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 10:04 AM Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai > Yasin Malik ko gusa kyoun aata hai? > > Recently, i managed a ' Biradari meeting ' (civil society meeting ) > in Jammu to settle my personal land dispute with my Ist cousin, who > sold my ancestral property ( home ) clendestinely in Kashmir. My > counsin, being too elderly, started with things alien to the core > dispute. Some personal attacks and lies which made me angry, and i > shouted in the middle of his opening presentation, which perhaps > ruined the chances of a just settlement. The case is still in the High > court, but 'out of court' settlement is difficult to arrive , because > he is now the beneficiary of our decadent' civil' legal procedures, > and even if settled in my favour, he has really very little to lose, > except to part away with the 1/2 share which is already mine. And why > he should he honour the ' biradari' , money after all matters. > > I regret that the meeting failed, not because i lost my cool, but > that i was optimistic about powers of ' biradiri'. Now, i should > either forget my rights, or throw stones at him. The pain in the ass > is that i cant forget my rights, and neither i can throw stones... > > only diplomats, lawayers, judges and other such high profile ranks are > trained to mask their emotions. Common man , often speak what they > feel is true, even loudly. Because, we live in the mundane reality of > our reality, which looks existential from most of the angles. And the > reality is contaminated, both literally and metaphorically. > > unfortunately the trend is diplomatically speading to other circles as > well, and the worst is that this so called cool mannerism falls in > the catagory of non-violence, and ah, the rest is violence! > Creative people, i guess, ought to deal with violence creatively. > Indeed, violence creates violence, and so catogorized, but who two > people do live in peace ? It is not a black and white game. > > Burning British garments was Gandhi's creative political move, which > has nothing to do with Violence or non-violence. Perhaps, Jinnah was > less creative and could not think beyond his master idea: Pakistan. > Some sense of humour could have changed the destiny of millions in > 1947, but alas. > > Given the fact that people can be defined beyond this violence > non-violence binary, which might give us the idea why we beleive in > civil societies, and for what, if not to undersand the anger of a > community or even an individual. To say, that a clean shaven politican > X is non-violent in comparison to a militant named Y is again our own > limitation to enter the maze of our society. Any society is > intrinsically made up of a mosaic of different realites, violence and > non-violence are just two colours in it. > > Stragely enough, we human beings proliferate on earth by being so > violent to each other in the first place, and simultaneously to the > nautre as well, and yet we keep on talking about the de-merits of > non-violence. Quite ironica, and if we think only about the explicit > forms of non-violence we are again doing some violence to the subject. > Non-violence is one of most profound subjects, because it often > begins with that ' know they self' thing, and then the other. And do > we have a formula to manifest ' the self' ? > > Since Mahabarata, we have zillions of cases related to land dispute, > and millions pending in our courts for the same reason. The violence > erupts from that sense of not being to own what our given complex > beings desire. It is true that we dont know what we actualy want, and > yet we have a reason to pick up a fight for protecting what we feel we > possess. > > Here, i may start writing on why Yasin Malik expressed anger about > 'Kashmir issue' in a recent ' civil' meeting at Delhi's Teen Murti. > But that is again a repetition of what we already know......given the > fact that 'Kahsmir issue' is now thoroughly internalized in the valley > minds; they feel it is personal. The violence of ' the past' has > perhaps made it happen like that. > > > with love > is > > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com Fri Nov 20 23:41:32 2009 From: naeem.mohaiemen at gmail.com (Naeem Mohaiemen) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:11:32 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Kolkata/Nov 21: Freedom is Notional Message-ID: Please pass on to friends in Kolkata. Hope to see some of you there. Freedom is Notional Experimenter Gallery Kolkata Nov 21-Jan 16 Facebook Photos http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133592&id=636285043&l=302fdbac63 Freedom is Notional brings together the works of three contemporary South Asian artists Naeem Mohaiemen (Bangladesh), Shilpa Gupta (India) and Bani Abidi (Pakistan) Opens Saturday, Nov 21, 6-9 pm The artists seek to raise questions and demand answers about the world we inhabit and read about in newspapers everyday They are all keenly aware of the politics and social dynamics that dominate South Asia in particular. Naeem Mohaiemen’s photographs of rallies in Dhaka show a curious space where freedom both exists and yet disappears. While the protesters are free to voice their opinions, their actions threaten their civil liberties. The suggestion of violence and its capacity to render some powerful and others powerless inform Shilpa Gupta and Bani Abidi’s works. The idea of boundaries as demarcations that blur with shifts in power connects Gupta’s “100 Hand-drawn Maps of India” and “Memory”. Abidi’s pieces question whether the symbols of stability – the security intercoms, the dignitary – are imposing restrictions upon people’s freedom. In today’s world, freedom is perhaps a chimera; a powerful myth that has been turned into a vain, foolish fancy in much of the real world. Using photography, video and installation art, Naeem Mohaiemen (Bangladesh), Shilpa Gupta (India) and Bani Abidi (Pakistan) try to breathe life into this chimera with Freedom is Notional. For further information please visit www.experimenter.in or feel free to contact Prateek Raja at +91 9830015854 or Priyanka Raja at + 91 9830931535 or email at info at experimenter.in 2/1 Hindusthan Road (under Goriahat Flyover, behind Kanishka's sari shop) From rohitrellan at aol.in Sat Nov 21 09:55:25 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:25:25 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] New UCLA Course - Financing and Packaging the Independent Feature In-Reply-To: <0A03AF90E8768C47AD208AD073CB5950129203BD75@tonga.TFT.UCLA.EDU> References: <0A03AF90E8768C47AD208AD073CB5950129203BD75@tonga.TFT.UCLA.EDU> Message-ID: <8CC3879C81D6057-46B8-3735@webmail-d090.sysops.aol.com> Announcing a new course offered by the UCLA Professional Programs at the School of Theater, Film and Television.   Financing and Packaging the Independent Feature Dates: January 7, 2010 - March 11, 2010 (Thursdays 7-10pm) Duration: 10 weeks, one meeting per week Location: UCLA campus, Room TBA Instructor: Todd Williams This 10-week seminar-style course will provide an overview of film producing, with an emphasis on producing the independent feature. Lectures and discussion will cover all major steps of producing a feature, from finding material to the release of the film. Topics will include: structures for obtaining financing, budgeting and packaging a low-budget feature, production and post-production, and an overview of sales and buyers. A different subject will be covered each week, and select guest speakers will participate along the way.   Producer Todd Williams has taught in both the UCLA Professional Program in Producing and the UCLA MFA Producers Program.  Get all the details and download an enrollment form at http://www.filmprograms.ucla.edu/short_courses.htm.    You may also enroll by calling the Professional Programs office at 310-825-6124.      From rohitrellan at aol.in Sat Nov 21 10:07:52 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:37:52 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?WeMove_Foundation_for_Performing_Arts?= =?utf-8?b?4oCZIHByZXNlbnRz4oCcQ29uZmVzc2lvbnMgb2YgYW4gQXNzYXNzaW7igJ0g?= =?utf-8?q?at_11=3A30am=2C22nd_November_2009_=2CBangalore?= In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CC387B857C6417-46B8-387D@webmail-d090.sysops.aol.com> “I wanted just three seconds more. I moved two steps forward and faced her. Now I wanted to take out the revolver and salute her for whatever service and sacrifice she had made for the nation. There were people who were dangerously close to her and I was afraid that one girl might be injured in the course of firing. As a precautionary measure I went one more step ahead, bowed before her and gently pushed the girl away from the firing line. The next moment I fired………” Based on the life of one of the most famous assassins in world history. And the death of the person who made him famous. WeMove Foundation for Performing Arts’  presents “Confessions of an Assassin”   On 22nd November, 2009 At 11:30 A.M @ Kyra Theatre, 2001, Katti-Ma Centre, Above Adidas Showroom, 100 feet road, Indiranagar  For more information log on to www.wemove.in                                                            Read Curtain Raiser on Time Out magazine Buy Tickets online @ www.indianstage.in  In Support Of ImagineIndia -- Bharath Kashyap, WeMove Foundation for Performing Arts Bangalore. Cell: 98455-85067 www.wemove.in From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 21 15:12:34 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:12:34 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] The koel's song Message-ID: The koel’s song By Manjira Majumdar Poverty and inaccessibility keep the adivasi children of six villages in Birbhum district, West Bengal, out of government schools. But they are getting an innovative and creative non-formal education at Suchana. A storybook written and illustrated by the children themselves has just been published It’s a slim storybook for children, but what’s unique about it is that the stories in it are not written for children, but by children. Called Kokiler Banshir Sur in Bengali (roughly translated that would be Songs from the Koel’s Flute), the stories in this book are short and sweet. The illustrations too are done by the children. Kokiler Banshir Sur comes out of a literacy project by the Uttar Chandipur Community Society, called Suchana. “The storybook grew out of the school magazine idea,” says Kirsty Milward, one of the main pillars of Suchana. She and her husband Rahul Bose started Suchana in 2004 as a pre-school initiative for their own three pre-school children and for others who were interested. Gradually, this non-formal school in Uttar Chandipur, about 6 km from Shantiniketan, in West Bengal’s Birbhum district, took on a life of its own. It presently caters to the education and health needs of around 150 children, aged between four and 13, from six villages in the region. Somnath Dolui, who was one of the three main resourcepersons for the creative writing classes every Wednesday for about three months, guided the children through the entire writing process. He said: “In stories, everyone talks -- the sky, birds, rivers.” He told them to write about anything. To bank on their own impressions, members of their family, their experiences. And to try and come up with a funny ending. That’s all the instructions he gave. This freedom resulted in a riot of imaginative, original stories. To get the children to think independently and write their own stories, Somnath had to be a storyteller himself, first. He drew on his own repertoire of stories and books from the Suchana library. Bengal has a rich tradition of children’s folktales; the children had to first identify with the concept of a tale. Sometimes the teachers gave them story-starters, and sometimes they started with a discussion on a recent event or a day they had enjoyed. They were then asked to write about it. Each had an exercise book in which to write their stories; some had five or six. From this pool the best stories were selected and finally voted to become part of the book. It took a year for the book to be printed, but the anticipation of a book in print kept the children enthused right from the start. Even as the book was being produced the children continued writing better and more varied stories; the illustrations did not start until after the stories were selected. There are 14 stories in the final collection, including a travel story and two poems. More have been banked for future use. The above is an excerpt from http://infochangeindia.org/200910217993/Children/Stories-of-change/The-koel%E2%80%99s-song.html Visit the link to read the entire article. From peter.ksmtf at gmail.com Sat Nov 21 16:08:59 2009 From: peter.ksmtf at gmail.com (T Peter) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:08:59 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fishworkers: allow deep sea fishing Message-ID: <3457ce860911210238t73e67f95ve94d59fc71aea4c0@mail.gmail.com> *Fishworkers: allow deep sea fishing * *Date:21/11/2009* *URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/21/stories/2009112160050300.htm* Special Correspondent ------------------------------ * Union will observe Deep Sea Fishing Day today. * ------------------------------ Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation (KSMTF) will observe the World Fishworkers’ Day on November 21 as Deep Sea Fishing Day. Addressing a press conference here on Friday, State president of the Federation T. Peter and secretary Anto Elias said the proposed Marine Fishing Regulation Bill to be presented in Parliament would be an infringement of the livelihood rights of traditional fishermen. “The new Bill makes it mandatory for fishworkers to secure a permit from the Union government to venture out beyond the territorial waters at a distance of 12 nautical miles from the coast. The Bill says the Coast Guard will have the authority to apprehend any vessel that crosses this line and arrest the occupants who can be sentenced to three years imprisonment or Rs.9 lakh as fine.” ‘Draconian law’ Terming the provisions draconian, they said depletion of fish stocks in the near shore areas was forcing fishermen out to the deep sea. “In fact, the Murari Commission appointed by the Government to study the problems of fish workers had recommended that traditional fishermen be equipped for deep sea fishing. The proposed Fishing Regulation Bill ignores the fact that fish workers travel more than 100 nautical miles from the coast daily to get enough catch. It is an encroachment on our right to fish anywhere in the Exclusive Economic Zone upto 200 nautical miles. The government has also ignored our contribution to coastal security.” On November 21, the federation will organise seminars and discussions throughout the State to focus attention on the emerging threat to the livelihood of fish workers. Mr. Peter also added that it was ironic that fish workers who are the among the most affected by global warming and climate change, did not figure in the discussions to mitigate the effects. From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Tue Nov 24 08:02:03 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:32:03 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" Message-ID: <336770.35500.qm@web53603.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hi Yasir, Sorry if I misrepresented your position.My point is, in the absence of any central authority,any version cannot be effectively discredited. The powers that be can twist it to suit their needs;for eg. like what happened in Pak during Bhutto's and then in Zia's regime. You are taking an empirical view;which can be of archival importance but it doesn't have any prescriptive authority.It appears to me that the debate about real nature of Islam is ,for all practical purposes,academic. Thanks Rahul --- On Thu, 11/19/09, yasir ~يا سر > wrote: > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK > armed forces" > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:51 PM > > Dear Rahul > > > > I dont know how you inferred that, or from where. but > > taking yr question as > > it is: > > > > I am not at all saying that the first is a valid > > interpretation. > > but i cannot deny that there are (and have been) > people who > > think it is a > > valid interpretation throughout history. so it is also > an > > internal perrenial > > problem to be dealt with without at all compromising > on the > > valid views. not > > unlike a continuous movement or revolution. thats > there > > too. > > > > so I am saying some revivalists are plain wrong and > > wrong-headed > > > > best > > > > > > > > On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Rahul Asthana wrote: > > > > > Yasir, > > > Are you saying that the extremist interpretation > of > > Islam is equally valid > > > as the peace loving one? > > > > > > Thanks > > > Rahul > > > > > > --- On Wed, 11/18/09, yasir ~يا سر > > wrote: > > > > > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims > must > > quit UK armed forces" > > > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > > > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:51 PM > > > > the world has been modern for a long > > > > time. > > > > > > > > this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he > does > > not > > > > advise that > > > > involvement in wars is forbidden in > Islam.  > > :: > > > > cannot be made. > > > > > > > > because :: there is no central authority to > > decide this. > > > > what you have is > > > > all historical stuff of muslim kings.why > should > > one king, > > > > one person,,one > > > > family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, > one > > > > neighbor.......be like > > > > another muslim ??  or another conqueror. > the > > record is > > > > actually is mixed but > > > > overall not so bad. it is even remarkable > and > > uncomparable > > > > in places. so why > > > > not take that as a muslim characteristic ? > > > > > > > > and why don't you. its simply the mass of > bias > > amassing > > > > itself. > > > > > > > > best > > > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra > Kaul > > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > Dear Anupam > > > > > > > > > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the > > citizens of a > > > > country that they > > > > > should not (in this case) join the > Military, > > that is > > > > problematic. Moezi is > > > > > free to issue his advisories in his > own > > country. > > > > > > > > > > I was quoting this an an example of why > the > > "loyalty > > > > of Muslim citizens to > > > > > their Non-Muslim countries tends to  > be > > viewed > > > > with suspicion?". Because by > > > > > not challenging such statements and > not > > asking such > > > > persons to not interfere > > > > > in their lives as citizens, they get > > identified with > > > > the statements. They > > > > > damn well will be looked upon with > > suspicions about > > > > their loyalty to the > > > > > country. > > > > > > > > > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their > > involvement in the > > > > Afghanistan and Iraq > > > > > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > > > > > > > > > Mark that, he does not advise that > > involvement in wars > > > > is forbidden in > > > > > Islam. > > > > > > > > > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) > that > > Moezi is a > > > > 'peacenik', shouldnt > > > > > he make a start with advising people in > Iran > > not to > > > > join the Military in > > > > > Iran. > > > > > > > > > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to > kill > > Muslims and > > > > Christians are not > > > > > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims > allowed > > to kill > > > > everyone else? > > > > > > > > > > Let us not be naive. > > > > > > > > > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and > politics > > were > > > > “inter-mixed” because > > > > > religion “could not be ignorant of > social > > issues. > > > > And part of social issues > > > > > is politics, therefore Islam should > have > > some sort of > > > > eye on political > > > > > issues”. """""" > > > > > > > > > > Fair enough and valid enough for your > own > > Islamic > > > > country. I doubt it that > > > > > it is acceptable to another > Non-Islamic > > country. > > > > > > > > > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that > it > > wants to on > > > > political issues but > > > > > it should do so in Islamic Countries. > When > > your loud > > > > pronouncements try to > > > > > propagate/export that aspect of > Islamicness > > to the > > > > Muslim citizens of a > > > > > Non-Islamic country then you are > creating > > problems for > > > > those Muslims. > > > > > > > > > > Kshmendra > > > > > > > > > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant > in > > the ongoing > > > > congregation of > > > > > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, > Pakistan, > > ranting > > > > against the Taliban: > > > > > > > > > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to > follow > > their > > > > brand of Islam infidels, > > > > > not knowing they are inviting the wrath > of > > Allah the > > > > almighty by killing > > > > > Muslims, which I call an unholy > crusade, > > """" > > > > > > > > > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred > if > > Muslim kills > > > > Muslim. It becomes an > > > > > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when > Muslim > > kills > > > > Non-Muslim? What defines a > > > > > "holy crusade" ? > > > > > > > > > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the > > Tabhligis are > > > > Sunnis. Note the > > > > > identicality of attitudes. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam > chakravartty > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: anupam chakravartty > > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: > "Muslims > > must quit UK > > > > armed forces" > > > > > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > > > > > Cc: "sarai list" > > > > > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 > PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail > > report: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > “Not only do I not accept it for > Muslims > > to go > > > > there, I don’t accept > > > > > non-Muslims to go there as well,” > Moezi > > said. “We > > > > say that Muslims are > > > > > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do > you > > think that > > > > Christians are > > > > > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > > > > > > > > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre > in > > Texas last > > > > week of 13 > > > > > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base > by a > > Muslim > > > > military > > > > > psychiatrist and insisted that the > incident > > should not > > > > be used to > > > > > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 > > billion Muslim > > > > population." > > > > > > > > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > > > > > > > > > It is very clear that the appeal is not > for > > the > > > > Muslims but for anyone > > > > > who is opposed to the occupation of > forces > > in these > > > > countries and also > > > > > who are opposed to things like war in > any > > nation. I > > > > think I can very > > > > > well read it as a caution against any > form > > of war or > > > > violence waged by > > > > > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail > was > > wrong in > > > > interpreting what > > > > > this man was talking about? I am sure > being > > a Muslim, > > > > and an Iranian > > > > > is a peril in these times. Here > allegiance > > to a flag > > > > is not the issue. > > > > > In a phased manner thousands of young > men > > are exposed > > > > to this conflict > > > > > of energy-terror-security. after UK and > US > > have been > > > > waging this war > > > > > at the cost of these lives. would > anyone > > deny the > > > > increasing number of > > > > > coffins being brought back from Iraq > and > > Afghanistan? > > > > there is no > > > > > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a > > fellow comrade > > > > is matter of > > > > > pride and motivation, but what are > these > > soldiers > > > > fighting for? > > > > > > > > > > -anupam > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer > > > > wrote: > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message > > ---------- > > > > > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > > > > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 > PM > > > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] > "Muslims > > must quit UK > > > > armed forces" > > > > > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > > > > > > > > > Today, after a long time, am I > sending > > one mail > > > > to Sarai, having read > > > > > some > > > > > > of the most shocking kind of > > statements, > > > > presented in a very dubious > > > > > manner > > > > > > or shocking ways to prove that > Muslims > > are either > > > > traitors, or that they > > > > > > can't be loyal to anybody except > to the > > Ummah. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is disgusting that some people > have > > assumed > > > > that Muslims are loyal not > > > > > to > > > > > > their own conscience or even to > the > > nations which > > > > they are citizens of, > > > > > but > > > > > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi > > regime, or to > > > > the Mullahs and Maulvis > > > > > who > > > > > > for them are more important than > what > > the law of > > > > the land states. Some > > > > > > people on this forum, as also > elsewhere > > across > > > > the nation, media and > > > > > among > > > > > > others, have thought this to be > > obvious. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to > make > > such > > > > conjectures and > > > > > perception-based > > > > > > statements unless one has done an > > academic study > > > > on this issue, to find > > > > > out > > > > > > the effect of what such statements > do, > > or how > > > > many among the Muslims > > > > > across > > > > > > different nations, not only in > India, > > but also in > > > > Europe and others, are > > > > > > actually involved in terrorist > > activities, or at > > > > the least, supporting > > > > > the > > > > > > ideology of terrorism or even the > > Al-Qaeda. I > > > > don't know myself about any > > > > > > such study having been conducted > in > > India or any > > > > other nation for that > > > > > > matter; if any of you has anything > or > > any study > > > > to prove so, please do > > > > > put > > > > > > it forward. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims > across > > India or > > > > other regions have to > > > > > prove > > > > > > their loyalty because of these > > shameful > > > > perceptions. It's on this > > > > > perception > > > > > > factor that we have a Raj > Thackeray who > > is > > > > stating that UP and Bihar > > > > > people > > > > > > are actually taking over the jobs > of > > the > > > > Marathis. The ironic thing is > > > > > that > > > > > > in a newspaper article I have > read, the > > total no. > > > > of migrants to Mumbai > > > > > is > > > > > > actually around 45%, out of which > 37.3% > > (the > > > > largest) are from within > > > > > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar > Pradesh > > (which > > > > when added to Maharashtra > > > > > > migrants come over to close to > 60%) and > > then > > > > Gujarat. Where does even > > > > > Bihar > > > > > > come into the picture? And all > these > > statistics > > > > are based on a UNDP-BMC > > > > > > survey report which has been done > > recently. And > > > > the report also says that > > > > > > the situation has been the same > with > > little > > > > difference in composition of > > > > > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > > > > > > > > > When did Muslims claim that they > are > > loyal to > > > > Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > > > > > Bin > > > > > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, > Syed > > Salahuddin, > > > > Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > > > > > the > > > > > > local Mullah on the street for > that > > matter? And > > > > how many Muslims even > > > > > made > > > > > > that claim? I know definitely of > one > > Muslim > > > > family which always supported > > > > > > Pakistan in matches against India, > but > > for that > > > > one family, I know of at > > > > > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who > had > > abuses to > > > > shower at Pakistan when > > > > > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup > in > > 2007. > > > > Infact, some of them even > > > > > claim > > > > > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they > loyal > > to > > > > Pakistan? (although I do agree > > > > > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > > > > > > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be > it > > RSS, VHP or > > > > anybody including the > > > > > Hindu > > > > > > Munnani say something, I don't > consider > > it as the > > > > views of the Hindus. > > > > > Who > > > > > > are they to represent the Hindus? > Do > > they even > > > > know what being a Hindu > > > > > is, > > > > > > or what Hinduism is? The same > argument > > even > > > > extends to those who think > > > > > they > > > > > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do > they > > know what > > > > Islam is? Have they > > > > > even > > > > > > studied the Koran properly, and > do > > understand in > > > > what context what has > > > > > been > > > > > > said? Every person has the right > to > > speak for > > > > himself/herself. > > > > > > > > > > > > Hence stop questioning the > Muslims. Or > > even > > > > Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > > > > > others. > > > > > > If you want to question someone > for > > his/her > > > > beliefs, don't ask questions > > > > > to > > > > > > anyone else but that person > alone. > > Neither assume > > > > that somebody has got > > > > > the > > > > > > right to speak on behalf of > others. One > > Deoband > > > > conference doesn't have > > > > > the > > > > > > right to speak for Muslims across > > India, forget > > > > across even entire > > > > > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as the content of the > previous > > mail is > > > > concerned, I think there > > > > > are > > > > > > positives to be taken, many of > them. We > > should > > > > respect those. At the same > > > > > > time, the representative has a > right to > > request > > > > Muslims not to join the > > > > > > forces, and his perspective is > skewed, > > fine. That > > > > doesn't mean Muslims > > > > > will, > > > > > > by default, accept it. Muslims > don't > > have to. > > > > It's their right to accept > > > > > or > > > > > > not accept, this skewed > perspective. > > What we have > > > > a right to do, is to > > > > > > explain to them why this > perspective is > > skewed or > > > > not, depending on our > > > > > > value system and judgement. > > > > > > > > > > > > Don't just assume please, that > Muslims > > are > > > > traitors or not traitors. Each > > > > > > individual is different, please > go > > ahead and > > > > respect their individuality. > > > > > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion > list on > > media and > > > > the city. > > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe > > > > > > in the subject header. > > > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > > List archive: > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list > on > > media and the > > > > city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list > on > > media and the > > > > city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > media and > > the > > > > city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > > > From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Tue Nov 24 11:26:12 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:26:12 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Write for Urban Education Journal, Univ of Pennsylvania In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *Volume 7, Issue 2 – "International Perspectives on Urban Education"* Penn GSE Perspectives on Urban Education Journal is now accepting submissions for an upcoming issue entitled International Perspectives on Urban Education. This issue will highlight perceptions, programs, and experiences in urban education around the globe. We invite submissions that build upon any of the following ideas: How do urban schools vary in different contexts? How has globalization/internationalization shaped and altered urban education in recent years? How have schools around the world been affected by and responded to patterns of migration from rural to urban areas? Are there pedagogical approaches and curricular resources that are specifically useful in these new contexts? How will schools assume the responsibility of preparing students to understand global issues and develop fluency in multiple languages? In relation to these questions, what is the role of American and British schools in this new "globalized" world? The above list of guiding questions is not exhaustive, and authors are encouraged to consult with the editors regarding preliminary ideas. We encourage researchers, graduate students, practitioners, policy makers, and youth to publish studies in progress, as well as findings from completed research and reflections on practice. We also welcome submissions that present content in creative ways through multimedia formats. Submissions must follow the style outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2009, 6th edition). Please complete the submission form found on our website and e-mail it along with your submission to journal at gse.upenn.edu. *Due date: January 31, 2010* To know more about the journal, check out http://www.urbanedjournal.org/ From yasir.media at gmail.com Sun Nov 22 14:31:38 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:01:38 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <892014.42696.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <5af37bb0911182321q368cb2c5v838c057425d419e6@mail.gmail.com> <892014.42696.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <5af37bb0911220101w604441f5ie3a2e97d7a781eae@mail.gmail.com> i tend to agree with you. one has to sort for oneself whether or not one is attached to particular groups/schools some of which argue for relatively closed systems, which are problematic for others, whether for political or doctrinal reasons best y On Sun, Nov 22, 2009 at 6:01 AM, Rahul Asthana wrote: > Hi Yasir, > Sorry if I misrepresented your position.My point is, in the absence of any > central authority,any version cannot be effectively discredited. The powers > that be can twist it to suit their needs;for eg. like what happened in Pak > during Bhutto's and then in Zia's regime. > You are taking an empirical view;which can be of archival importance but it > doesn't have any prescriptive authority.It appears to me that the debate > about real nature of Islam is ,for all practical purposes,academic. > > Thanks > Rahul > > --- On Thu, 11/19/09, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:51 PM > > Dear Rahul > > > > I dont know how you inferred that, or from where. but > > taking yr question as > > it is: > > > > I am not at all saying that the first is a valid > > interpretation. > > but i cannot deny that there are (and have been) people who > > think it is a > > valid interpretation throughout history. so it is also an > > internal perrenial > > problem to be dealt with without at all compromising on the > > valid views. not > > unlike a continuous movement or revolution. thats there > > too. > > > > so I am saying some revivalists are plain wrong and > > wrong-headed > > > > best > > > > > > > > On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Rahul Asthana >wrote: > > > > > Yasir, > > > Are you saying that the extremist interpretation of > > Islam is equally valid > > > as the peace loving one? > > > > > > Thanks > > > Rahul > > > > > > --- On Wed, 11/18/09, yasir ~يا سر > > wrote: > > > > > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must > > quit UK armed forces" > > > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > > > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:51 PM > > > > the world has been modern for a long > > > > time. > > > > > > > > this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he does > > not > > > > advise that > > > > involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam. > > :: > > > > cannot be made. > > > > > > > > because :: there is no central authority to > > decide this. > > > > what you have is > > > > all historical stuff of muslim kings.why should > > one king, > > > > one person,,one > > > > family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, one > > > > neighbor.......be like > > > > another muslim ?? or another conqueror. the > > record is > > > > actually is mixed but > > > > overall not so bad. it is even remarkable and > > uncomparable > > > > in places. so why > > > > not take that as a muslim characteristic ? > > > > > > > > and why don't you. its simply the mass of bias > > amassing > > > > itself. > > > > > > > > best > > > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > Dear Anupam > > > > > > > > > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the > > citizens of a > > > > country that they > > > > > should not (in this case) join the Military, > > that is > > > > problematic. Moezi is > > > > > free to issue his advisories in his own > > country. > > > > > > > > > > I was quoting this an an example of why the > > "loyalty > > > > of Muslim citizens to > > > > > their Non-Muslim countries tends to be > > viewed > > > > with suspicion?". Because by > > > > > not challenging such statements and not > > asking such > > > > persons to not interfere > > > > > in their lives as citizens, they get > > identified with > > > > the statements. They > > > > > damn well will be looked upon with > > suspicions about > > > > their loyalty to the > > > > > country. > > > > > > > > > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their > > involvement in the > > > > Afghanistan and Iraq > > > > > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > > > > > > > > > Mark that, he does not advise that > > involvement in wars > > > > is forbidden in > > > > > Islam. > > > > > > > > > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) that > > Moezi is a > > > > 'peacenik', shouldnt > > > > > he make a start with advising people in Iran > > not to > > > > join the Military in > > > > > Iran. > > > > > > > > > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill > > Muslims and > > > > Christians are not > > > > > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed > > to kill > > > > everyone else? > > > > > > > > > > Let us not be naive. > > > > > > > > > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics > > were > > > > “inter-mixed” because > > > > > religion “could not be ignorant of social > > issues. > > > > And part of social issues > > > > > is politics, therefore Islam should have > > some sort of > > > > eye on political > > > > > issues”. """""" > > > > > > > > > > Fair enough and valid enough for your own > > Islamic > > > > country. I doubt it that > > > > > it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic > > country. > > > > > > > > > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it > > wants to on > > > > political issues but > > > > > it should do so in Islamic Countries. When > > your loud > > > > pronouncements try to > > > > > propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness > > to the > > > > Muslim citizens of a > > > > > Non-Islamic country then you are creating > > problems for > > > > those Muslims. > > > > > > > > > > Kshmendra > > > > > > > > > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant in > > the ongoing > > > > congregation of > > > > > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, > > ranting > > > > against the Taliban: > > > > > > > > > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow > > their > > > > brand of Islam infidels, > > > > > not knowing they are inviting the wrath of > > Allah the > > > > almighty by killing > > > > > Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, > > """" > > > > > > > > > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if > > Muslim kills > > > > Muslim. It becomes an > > > > > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim > > kills > > > > Non-Muslim? What defines a > > > > > "holy crusade" ? > > > > > > > > > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the > > Tabhligis are > > > > Sunnis. Note the > > > > > identicality of attitudes. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty > > > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From: anupam chakravartty > > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims > > must quit UK > > > > armed forces" > > > > > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > > > > > Cc: "sarai list" > > > > > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail > > report: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims > > to go > > > > there, I don’t accept > > > > > non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi > > said. “We > > > > say that Muslims are > > > > > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you > > think that > > > > Christians are > > > > > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > > > > > > > > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in > > Texas last > > > > week of 13 > > > > > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a > > Muslim > > > > military > > > > > psychiatrist and insisted that the incident > > should not > > > > be used to > > > > > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 > > billion Muslim > > > > population." > > > > > > > > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > > > > > > > > > It is very clear that the appeal is not for > > the > > > > Muslims but for anyone > > > > > who is opposed to the occupation of forces > > in these > > > > countries and also > > > > > who are opposed to things like war in any > > nation. I > > > > think I can very > > > > > well read it as a caution against any form > > of war or > > > > violence waged by > > > > > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was > > wrong in > > > > interpreting what > > > > > this man was talking about? I am sure being > > a Muslim, > > > > and an Iranian > > > > > is a peril in these times. Here allegiance > > to a flag > > > > is not the issue. > > > > > In a phased manner thousands of young men > > are exposed > > > > to this conflict > > > > > of energy-terror-security. after UK and US > > have been > > > > waging this war > > > > > at the cost of these lives. would anyone > > deny the > > > > increasing number of > > > > > coffins being brought back from Iraq and > > Afghanistan? > > > > there is no > > > > > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a > > fellow comrade > > > > is matter of > > > > > pride and motivation, but what are these > > soldiers > > > > fighting for? > > > > > > > > > > -anupam > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer > > > > wrote: > > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message > > ---------- > > > > > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > > > > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > > > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims > > must quit UK > > > > armed forces" > > > > > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > > > > > > > > > Today, after a long time, am I sending > > one mail > > > > to Sarai, having read > > > > > some > > > > > > of the most shocking kind of > > statements, > > > > presented in a very dubious > > > > > manner > > > > > > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims > > are either > > > > traitors, or that they > > > > > > can't be loyal to anybody except to the > > Ummah. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is disgusting that some people have > > assumed > > > > that Muslims are loyal not > > > > > to > > > > > > their own conscience or even to the > > nations which > > > > they are citizens of, > > > > > but > > > > > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi > > regime, or to > > > > the Mullahs and Maulvis > > > > > who > > > > > > for them are more important than what > > the law of > > > > the land states. Some > > > > > > people on this forum, as also elsewhere > > across > > > > the nation, media and > > > > > among > > > > > > others, have thought this to be > > obvious. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to make > > such > > > > conjectures and > > > > > perception-based > > > > > > statements unless one has done an > > academic study > > > > on this issue, to find > > > > > out > > > > > > the effect of what such statements do, > > or how > > > > many among the Muslims > > > > > across > > > > > > different nations, not only in India, > > but also in > > > > Europe and others, are > > > > > > actually involved in terrorist > > activities, or at > > > > the least, supporting > > > > > the > > > > > > ideology of terrorism or even the > > Al-Qaeda. I > > > > don't know myself about any > > > > > > such study having been conducted in > > India or any > > > > other nation for that > > > > > > matter; if any of you has anything or > > any study > > > > to prove so, please do > > > > > put > > > > > > it forward. > > > > > > > > > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims across > > India or > > > > other regions have to > > > > > prove > > > > > > their loyalty because of these > > shameful > > > > perceptions. It's on this > > > > > perception > > > > > > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who > > is > > > > stating that UP and Bihar > > > > > people > > > > > > are actually taking over the jobs of > > the > > > > Marathis. The ironic thing is > > > > > that > > > > > > in a newspaper article I have read, the > > total no. > > > > of migrants to Mumbai > > > > > is > > > > > > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% > > (the > > > > largest) are from within > > > > > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh > > (which > > > > when added to Maharashtra > > > > > > migrants come over to close to 60%) and > > then > > > > Gujarat. Where does even > > > > > Bihar > > > > > > come into the picture? And all these > > statistics > > > > are based on a UNDP-BMC > > > > > > survey report which has been done > > recently. And > > > > the report also says that > > > > > > the situation has been the same with > > little > > > > difference in composition of > > > > > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > > > > > > > > > When did Muslims claim that they are > > loyal to > > > > Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > > > > > Bin > > > > > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed > > Salahuddin, > > > > Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > > > > > the > > > > > > local Mullah on the street for that > > matter? And > > > > how many Muslims even > > > > > made > > > > > > that claim? I know definitely of one > > Muslim > > > > family which always supported > > > > > > Pakistan in matches against India, but > > for that > > > > one family, I know of at > > > > > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had > > abuses to > > > > shower at Pakistan when > > > > > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in > > 2007. > > > > Infact, some of them even > > > > > claim > > > > > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal > > to > > > > Pakistan? (although I do agree > > > > > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > > > > > > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it > > RSS, VHP or > > > > anybody including the > > > > > Hindu > > > > > > Munnani say something, I don't consider > > it as the > > > > views of the Hindus. > > > > > Who > > > > > > are they to represent the Hindus? Do > > they even > > > > know what being a Hindu > > > > > is, > > > > > > or what Hinduism is? The same argument > > even > > > > extends to those who think > > > > > they > > > > > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they > > know what > > > > Islam is? Have they > > > > > even > > > > > > studied the Koran properly, and do > > understand in > > > > what context what has > > > > > been > > > > > > said? Every person has the right to > > speak for > > > > himself/herself. > > > > > > > > > > > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or > > even > > > > Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > > > > > others. > > > > > > If you want to question someone for > > his/her > > > > beliefs, don't ask questions > > > > > to > > > > > > anyone else but that person alone. > > Neither assume > > > > that somebody has got > > > > > the > > > > > > right to speak on behalf of others. One > > Deoband > > > > conference doesn't have > > > > > the > > > > > > right to speak for Muslims across > > India, forget > > > > across even entire > > > > > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as the content of the previous > > mail is > > > > concerned, I think there > > > > > are > > > > > > positives to be taken, many of them. We > > should > > > > respect those. At the same > > > > > > time, the representative has a right to > > request > > > > Muslims not to join the > > > > > > forces, and his perspective is skewed, > > fine. That > > > > doesn't mean Muslims > > > > > will, > > > > > > by default, accept it. Muslims don't > > have to. > > > > It's their right to accept > > > > > or > > > > > > not accept, this skewed perspective. > > What we have > > > > a right to do, is to > > > > > > explain to them why this perspective is > > skewed or > > > > not, depending on our > > > > > > value system and judgement. > > > > > > > > > > > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims > > are > > > > traitors or not traitors. Each > > > > > > individual is different, please go > > ahead and > > > > respect their individuality. > > > > > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > > media and > > > > the city. > > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe > > > > > > in the subject header. > > > > > > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > > List archive: > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > > media and the > > > > city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > > media and the > > > > city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with > > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: > https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > > the > > > > city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > > city. > > Critiques & Collaborations > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > List archive: > > > > From javedmasoo at gmail.com Sun Nov 22 11:06:07 2009 From: javedmasoo at gmail.com (Javed) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:06:07 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] dilemma of being Kasab's lawyer Message-ID: Killing innocents for jehad is not what my Islam teaches me: Kasab's lawyer Jyoti Punwani, TNN 22 November 2009, 03:02am IST MUMBAI: Abbas Kazmi, the lawyer defending India’s most hated terrorist, Ajmal Kasab, is in an unenviable position. For months, he’s been fighting a frustrating battle to give his client as good a defence as possible, given the special circumstances of this case. Now, with a list of 232 witnesses given to him by the prosecution, he fears accusations of delaying the trial being flung at him if he cross-examines them all; however, he has made up his mind. Kazmi has been virtually ostracised, but says that he believes in the Constitution which guarantees every accused a fair trial. “We are a civilised country,’’ he says. “Our criminal law doesn’t believe in lynch mobs.’’ If professional integrity wasn’t so dear to Kazmi, the last six months would’ve been a breeze. He could have sat back, declined cross-examination, and been a defence attorney only in name. The Rs 2,500 being paid to him for every hearing would then have actually meant something. Instead, he has been fighting a frustrating battle to give his client as good a defence as possible, given the special circumstances of this case. “I’ve been under immense pressure from Day One,’’ says Kazmi. “Work pressure—hardly any time given to study the 14,000-page chargesheet; the humiliation of being frisked thrice before I enter the courtroom; not being allowed to carry either my laptop or my briefcase (The FBI agents were allowed both), so the bulky charge sheet remains in my office while I’m in court. My other cases have almost had to be abandoned.’’ As soon as he accepted the brief, Kazmi was removed from trusteeship of the Islam Gymkhana. Last week, two strangers at a chemist’s shop asked him why he had agreed to defend Kasab whom the entire world had seen committing the crime. Why hadn’t he instead used the opportunity to pump bullets into Kasab’s head? “I’ve said it before: I believe in the Constitution. When I watched the events on TV, I wanted the severest punishment to be given to the terrorists. I too am a patriot. That’s precisely the reason I believe we must give Kasab a fair trial. Our Constitution declares that every accused is innocent until proven guilty. The entire world is watching us, we are a civilised country. Our criminal law doesn’t believe in lynch mobs.’’ In court, he has been derisively called “Abu Abbas’’—a reference to the many Abus who trained Kasab, and been mockingly told that he’d be given Pakistan’s highest award. But none of this has prevented him from doggedly doing his duty. Kazmi’s cross-examination has brought out incredible facts. “One hundred and nine men of the Railway Police Force, Government Railway Police and Home Guards were at CST, 30 of them armed, when Kasab and his companion landed. Twenty officers, a few armed with AK 47s, carbines and some with bullet-proof vests, were around Cama later. The police commissioner’s office is a twominute walk away. The Control Room knew what was happening. Yet two young men with barely six months’ training, who had two AK-47s but no bullet-proof vests, could do what they wanted from 9.30 to 12.30 that night!’’ One of Kazmi’s many frustrations is that the layperson knows hardly anything about what his cross-examination has brought on record. For instance, a SIM card used by the terrorists was issued to one Suresh Prashad by the Government of India, Ministry of Urban Development, and though his electricity bill is on record, the police say he is untraceable. Another loose end is the silence on Abu Jindal, whom Kasab has described as an Indian who had trained him. Apart from the prosecution, Kazmi is the only person to meet Kasab regularly. What does he think of him? “I have not been able to build the rapport a defence lawyer needs with his client. I am only allowed to talk to him in court, when he is in the dock, under the watchful gaze of his guards and the court staff. I feel he doesn’t trust me; he has not consulted me on any step he has taken, specially confessing in court. That’s why I offered to withdraw from the case.’’ Whenever Kazmi has conveyed Kasab’s requests to the court—a newspaper, some itar—a hue and cry has ensued. To Kazmi, Kasab comes across as a young man easily swayed, given to mood swings. As a Muslim, the trial has affected Kazmi deeply. “I have become even more of a believer in secularism. I would really like to contribute in this field in whatever way I can. Listening to those handlers sitting in their safe hideouts, encouraging these boys not to lose courage, I can only say. ‘Your Islam is not my Islam. Killing innocents in the name of jehad is not what my Islam teaches me.’’ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Killing-innocents-for-jehad-is-not-what-my-Islam-teaches-me-Kasabs-lawyer/articleshow/5256400.cms From rahul_capri at yahoo.com Sun Nov 22 06:31:49 2009 From: rahul_capri at yahoo.com (Rahul Asthana) Date: Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:01:49 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" In-Reply-To: <5af37bb0911182321q368cb2c5v838c057425d419e6@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <892014.42696.qm@web53608.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Hi Yasir, Sorry if I misrepresented your position.My point is, in the absence of any central authority,any version cannot be effectively discredited. The powers that be can twist it to suit their needs;for eg. like what happened in Pak during Bhutto's and then in Zia's regime. You are taking an empirical view;which can be of archival importance but it doesn't have any prescriptive authority.It appears to me that the debate about real nature of Islam is ,for all practical purposes,academic. Thanks Rahul --- On Thu, 11/19/09, yasir ~يا سر wrote: > From: yasir ~يا سر > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must quit UK armed forces" > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009, 12:51 PM > Dear Rahul > > I dont know how you inferred that, or from where. but > taking yr question as > it is: > > I am not at all saying that the first is a valid > interpretation. > but i cannot deny that there are (and have been) people who > think it is a > valid interpretation throughout history. so it is also an > internal perrenial > problem to be dealt with without at all compromising on the > valid views. not > unlike a continuous movement or revolution. thats there > too. > > so I am saying some revivalists are plain wrong and > wrong-headed > > best > > > > On Thu, Nov 19, 2009 at 5:54 AM, Rahul Asthana wrote: > > > Yasir, > > Are you saying that the extremist interpretation of > Islam is equally valid > > as the peace loving one? > > > > Thanks > > Rahul > > > > --- On Wed, 11/18/09, yasir ~يا سر > wrote: > > > > > From: yasir ~يا سر > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims must > quit UK armed forces" > > > To: "Sarai Reader-list" > > > Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2009, 1:51 PM > > > the world has been modern for a long > > > time. > > > > > > this sort of statement that :: Mark that, he does > not > > > advise that > > > involvement in wars is forbidden in Islam.  > :: > > > cannot be made. > > > > > > because :: there is no central authority to > decide this. > > > what you have is > > > all historical stuff of muslim kings.why should > one king, > > > one person,,one > > > family, one, tribe, one, language-speaker, one > > > neighbor.......be like > > > another muslim ??  or another conqueror. the > record is > > > actually is mixed but > > > overall not so bad. it is even remarkable and > uncomparable > > > in places. so why > > > not take that as a muslim characteristic ? > > > > > > and why don't you. its simply the mass of bias > amassing > > > itself. > > > > > > best > > > > > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 8:20 PM, Kshmendra Kaul > > >wrote: > > > > > > > Dear Anupam > > > > > > > > When a non-citizen comes and tells the > citizens of a > > > country that they > > > > should not (in this case) join the Military, > that is > > > problematic. Moezi is > > > > free to issue his advisories in his own > country. > > > > > > > > I was quoting this an an example of why the > "loyalty > > > of Muslim citizens to > > > > their Non-Muslim countries tends to  be > viewed > > > with suspicion?". Because by > > > > not challenging such statements and not > asking such > > > persons to not interfere > > > > in their lives as citizens, they get > identified with > > > the statements. They > > > > damn well will be looked upon with > suspicions about > > > their loyalty to the > > > > country. > > > > > > > > Moezi advises Muslims "that their > involvement in the > > > Afghanistan and Iraq > > > > wars is forbidden by Islam." > > > > > > > > Mark that, he does not advise that > involvement in wars > > > is forbidden in > > > > Islam. > > > > > > > > If you think (as you seem to suggest) that > Moezi is a > > > 'peacenik', shouldnt > > > > he make a start with advising people in Iran > not to > > > join the Military in > > > > Iran. > > > > > > > > Moezi says Muslims are not allowed to kill > Muslims and > > > Christians are not > > > > allowed to kill Muslims. Are Muslims allowed > to kill > > > everyone else? > > > > > > > > Let us not be naive. > > > > > > > > """" Moezi believed that Islam and politics > were > > > “inter-mixed” because > > > > religion “could not be ignorant of social > issues. > > > And part of social issues > > > > is politics, therefore Islam should have > some sort of > > > eye on political > > > > issues”. """""" > > > > > > > > Fair enough and valid enough for your own > Islamic > > > country. I doubt it that > > > > it is acceptable to another Non-Islamic > country. > > > > > > > > Islam can keep keep all the 'eye' that it > wants to on > > > political issues but > > > > it should do so in Islamic Countries. When > your loud > > > pronouncements try to > > > > propagate/export that aspect of Islamicness > to the > > > Muslim citizens of a > > > > Non-Islamic country then you are creating > problems for > > > those Muslims. > > > > > > > > Kshmendra > > > > > > > > PS. Here is a quote from a participant in > the ongoing > > > congregation of > > > > Muslims (Tablighi) in Raiwind, Pakistan, > ranting > > > against the Taliban: > > > > > > > > """" ‘They call those who refuse to follow > their > > > brand of Islam infidels, > > > > not knowing they are inviting the wrath of > Allah the > > > almighty by killing > > > > Muslims, which I call an unholy crusade, > """" > > > > > > > > Note that. Allah's wrath is incurred if > Muslim kills > > > Muslim. It becomes an > > > > 'unholy crusade'. What happens when Muslim > kills > > > Non-Muslim? What defines a > > > > "holy crusade" ? > > > > > > > > Also note that Moezi is a Shia and the > Tabhligis are > > > Sunnis. Note the > > > > identicality of attitudes. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- On Mon, 11/16/09, anupam chakravartty > > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > From: anupam chakravartty > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Fwd: "Muslims > must quit UK > > > armed forces" > > > > To: "Rakesh Iyer" > > > > Cc: "sarai list" > > > > Date: Monday, November 16, 2009, 7:21 PM > > > > > > > > > > > > The Ayatollah's words from Daily Mail > report: > > > > > > > > > > > > “Not only do I not accept it for Muslims > to go > > > there, I don’t accept > > > > non-Muslims to go there as well,” Moezi > said. “We > > > say that Muslims are > > > > not allowed to go and kill Muslims. Do you > think that > > > Christians are > > > > allowed to go and kill Muslims?” > > > > > > > > The cleric, 65, condemned the massacre in > Texas last > > > week of 13 > > > > American soldiers at the Fort Hood base by a > Muslim > > > military > > > > psychiatrist and insisted that the incident > should not > > > be used to > > > > tarnish the image of the world’s 1.5 > billion Muslim > > > population." > > > > > > > > Dear Kshmendra, > > > > > > > > It is very clear that the appeal is not for > the > > > Muslims but for anyone > > > > who is opposed to the occupation of forces > in these > > > countries and also > > > > who are opposed to things like war in any > nation. I > > > think I can very > > > > well read it as a caution against any form > of war or > > > violence waged by > > > > anyone. Can we not say that Daily Mail was > wrong in > > > interpreting what > > > > this man was talking about? I am sure being > a Muslim, > > > and an Iranian > > > > is a peril in these times. Here allegiance > to a flag > > > is not the issue. > > > > In a phased manner thousands of young men > are exposed > > > to this conflict > > > > of energy-terror-security. after UK and US > have been > > > waging this war > > > > at the cost of these lives. would anyone > deny the > > > increasing number of > > > > coffins being brought back from Iraq and > Afghanistan? > > > there is no > > > > doubt that for a soldier a coffin of a > fellow comrade > > > is matter of > > > > pride and motivation, but what are these > soldiers > > > fighting for? > > > > > > > > -anupam > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 11/16/09, Rakesh Iyer > > > wrote: > > > > > ---------- Forwarded message > ---------- > > > > > From: Rakesh Iyer > > > > > Date: Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:41 PM > > > > > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] "Muslims > must quit UK > > > armed forces" > > > > > To: Kshmendra Kaul > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi (to all) > > > > > > > > > > Today, after a long time, am I sending > one mail > > > to Sarai, having read > > > > some > > > > > of the most shocking kind of > statements, > > > presented in a very dubious > > > > manner > > > > > or shocking ways to prove that Muslims > are either > > > traitors, or that they > > > > > can't be loyal to anybody except to the > Ummah. > > > > > > > > > > It is disgusting that some people have > assumed > > > that Muslims are loyal not > > > > to > > > > > their own conscience or even to the > nations which > > > they are citizens of, > > > > but > > > > > to the Ummah, Mecca or the Saudi > regime, or to > > > the Mullahs and Maulvis > > > > who > > > > > for them are more important than what > the law of > > > the land states. Some > > > > > people on this forum, as also elsewhere > across > > > the nation, media and > > > > among > > > > > others, have thought this to be > obvious. > > > > > > > > > > It is very wrong on any basis to make > such > > > conjectures and > > > > perception-based > > > > > statements unless one has done an > academic study > > > on this issue, to find > > > > out > > > > > the effect of what such statements do, > or how > > > many among the Muslims > > > > across > > > > > different nations, not only in India, > but also in > > > Europe and others, are > > > > > actually involved in terrorist > activities, or at > > > the least, supporting > > > > the > > > > > ideology of terrorism or even the > Al-Qaeda. I > > > don't know myself about any > > > > > such study having been conducted in > India or any > > > other nation for that > > > > > matter; if any of you has anything or > any study > > > to prove so, please do > > > > put > > > > > it forward. > > > > > > > > > > It is also shameful that Muslims across > India or > > > other regions have to > > > > prove > > > > > their loyalty because of these > shameful > > > perceptions. It's on this > > > > perception > > > > > factor that we have a Raj Thackeray who > is > > > stating that UP and Bihar > > > > people > > > > > are actually taking over the jobs of > the > > > Marathis. The ironic thing is > > > > that > > > > > in a newspaper article I have read, the > total no. > > > of migrants to Mumbai > > > > is > > > > > actually around 45%, out of which 37.3% > (the > > > largest) are from within > > > > > Maharashtra, followed by Uttar Pradesh > (which > > > when added to Maharashtra > > > > > migrants come over to close to 60%) and > then > > > Gujarat. Where does even > > > > Bihar > > > > > come into the picture? And all these > statistics > > > are based on a UNDP-BMC > > > > > survey report which has been done > recently. And > > > the report also says that > > > > > the situation has been the same with > little > > > difference in composition of > > > > > migrants since the 1960's. > > > > > > > > > > When did Muslims claim that they are > loyal to > > > Ayatollah Khamenei, Osama > > > > Bin > > > > > Laden, Hafiz Mohammed Sayeed, Syed > Salahuddin, > > > Tehrik-i-Taliban, or even > > > > the > > > > > local Mullah on the street for that > matter? And > > > how many Muslims even > > > > made > > > > > that claim? I know definitely of one > Muslim > > > family which always supported > > > > > Pakistan in matches against India, but > for that > > > one family, I know of at > > > > > least 5 Muslim friends of mine who had > abuses to > > > shower at Pakistan when > > > > > India won the Twenty-20 World Cup in > 2007. > > > Infact, some of them even > > > > claim > > > > > we should nuke Pakistan. Are they loyal > to > > > Pakistan? (although I do agree > > > > > nuking is not what we should do) > > > > > > > > > > When the Hindutva ideologues, be it > RSS, VHP or > > > anybody including the > > > > Hindu > > > > > Munnani say something, I don't consider > it as the > > > views of the Hindus. > > > > Who > > > > > are they to represent the Hindus? Do > they even > > > know what being a Hindu > > > > is, > > > > > or what Hinduism is? The same argument > even > > > extends to those who think > > > > they > > > > > speak on behalf of the Muslims. Do they > know what > > > Islam is? Have they > > > > even > > > > > studied the Koran properly, and do > understand in > > > what context what has > > > > been > > > > > said? Every person has the right to > speak for > > > himself/herself. > > > > > > > > > > Hence stop questioning the Muslims. Or > even > > > Hindus. Or Marathis. Or > > > > others. > > > > > If you want to question someone for > his/her > > > beliefs, don't ask questions > > > > to > > > > > anyone else but that person alone. > Neither assume > > > that somebody has got > > > > the > > > > > right to speak on behalf of others. One > Deoband > > > conference doesn't have > > > > the > > > > > right to speak for Muslims across > India, forget > > > across even entire > > > > > South-Asian region. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > As far as the content of the previous > mail is > > > concerned, I think there > > > > are > > > > > positives to be taken, many of them. We > should > > > respect those. At the same > > > > > time, the representative has a right to > request > > > Muslims not to join the > > > > > forces, and his perspective is skewed, > fine. That > > > doesn't mean Muslims > > > > will, > > > > > by default, accept it. Muslims don't > have to. > > > It's their right to accept > > > > or > > > > > not accept, this skewed perspective. > What we have > > > a right to do, is to > > > > > explain to them why this perspective is > skewed or > > > not, depending on our > > > > > value system and judgement. > > > > > > > > > > Don't just assume please, that Muslims > are > > > traitors or not traitors. Each > > > > > individual is different, please go > ahead and > > > respect their individuality. > > > > > > > > > > Rakesh > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > media and > > > the city. > > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > with > > > > subscribe > > > > > in the subject header. > > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > > List archive: > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > media and the > > > city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on > media and the > > > city. > > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > with > > > > subscribe in the subject header. > > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > > List archive: > > > _________________________________________ > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and > the > > > city. > > > Critiques & Collaborations > > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > > > with subscribe in the subject header. > > > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > > > List archive: > > > > > > > > > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the > city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net > with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From nicheant at yahoo.co.uk Sun Nov 22 16:26:03 2009 From: nicheant at yahoo.co.uk (Nishant) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:56:03 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Reader-list] Young Holocaust victim on Facebook Message-ID: <486036.16553.qm@web27908.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Young Holocaust victim has over 1,700 friends on Facebook A young Holocaust victim has been brought back to life on the Internet. As a virtual figure, a young Jewish boy from Poland writes about his life during the Second World War - and he's looking for friends on Facebook. A young boy in shorts and a white T-shirt, with black hair, darkeyes, and a mischievous grin - that is how Henio looks to his friends on his Facebook page. "My name is Henio Zytomirski. I am seven-years-old. I live on 3 Szewska Street in Lublin," he writes on his profile. His birthday is March 25, 1933. He is no more than seven or eight years old. As a young Jewish boy, he was killed by the Nazis in a concentration camp. Virtual witness to history Henio has been signed up to Facebook since August 18, 2009. "On that day, I wrote my first entry," said Piotr Buzek. The 22-year-old works in the Brama Grodzka Cultural Center in Lublin, and he is responsible for bringing Henio back to life in the virtual world. He imagines how Henio felt during his life and writes as though he were him. "Here at the center we have collected a lot of information aboutHenio's life, and then I tried to imagine how this young boy experienced the world around him," said Buzek. So, on September 29, 2009, Henio wrote: "Winter has arrived. Every Jew must wear the Star of David with his last name. A lot has changed.German troops walk the streets. Mama says that I shouldn't be frightened, and always that everything is just fine. Always?" By now, Henio has more than 1,700 friends on Facebook, and more arebeing added every day. Henio doesn't chat with them - he only writes short sentences about his life. His friends comment on what he writes - empathetically and honestly. They tell him what war means. And sometimes they can only explain to him that for many things in life there is simply no explanation. An entry from Henio on October 5, 2009: "Grandpa says that the warwill soon be over. He says that soldiers also have families. How is that possible? They have a family, but they kill families." "I can't imagine such beastliness," Olga, one of his Facebook friends, comments. "They have no heart," Irene, another friend, writes. Reconstructing Jewish lives The cultural center in Lublin has been reconstructing Jewish lives for eighteenyears. More Jewish people once lived in Lublin - a city east of Warsaw - than Christians. Tomasz Pietrasiewicz, the head of the center, has made it his mission to remember the Holocaust. "Henio's story has become the symbol of Jews in Lublin. He is a trueicon. We have received an album with photos of Henio from a relative of his, one for every year of his life. The last one dates back to the year 1939, shortly before his first day of school. And then they stopped coming - there were no more pictures." Family stories on the Internet Henio's family story is available on the cultural center's websitein Polish, English and Hebrew, and the album with photos of Henio has been digitized. The internet has long been a useful tool for the center. Memories of the Second World War are starting to diminish as the number of people who lived through that period grows smaller. However, the staff know that the history of the war and the Holocaustis best told through personal stories, and that is why they are trying to recreate them online. A new audience "We wanted to use this new technology to help meet the goal of ourcenter: to keep the memory of Jews in Lublin alive. We wanted an innovative way to share history. And with Henio's story, we wanted to reach out to a new audience," said Piotr Buzek. This new audience - young people between 15 and 25 - are constantly online. Most of Henio's Facebook friends live in Poland, and therefore, Henio writes in Polish. But more and more, people from Israel are also signing up to be his friend. They translate Henio's entries into their own language, such as this one on October 11, 2009: "Today I have decided to never leave Lublin again. I want to stay here forever at my favorite place - with my Mama and Papa. In Lublin." Henio's voice, Piotr Buzek, belongs to the Internet generation. Manyof Henio's Facebook followers even have Internet access on their mobile phones, so they can constantly check to see if anyone has responded to Henio's entries. "People write things on Henio's page that we don't speak about every day," says Buzek. "Maybe I'm naïve, but I have a good feeling that Henio's entries can make the world a slightly better place. They are making a contribution to ensure that something like the Holocaust never happens again." Author: Linda Vierecke (vj) Editor: Michael Lawton http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4908523,00.html From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Sun Nov 22 16:46:57 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:16:57 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] =?utf-8?q?=22Disputed_Kashmir_Serves_China=E2=80=99?= =?utf-8?q?s_Interests=22_By_Ghulam_Nabi?= Message-ID: <812244.79472.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Interesting perspective   Kshmendra       "Disputed Kashmir Serves China’s Interests"   By Ghulam Nabi   18 November, 2009 Countercurrents.org On Thursdays 12th of November, Indian foreign affairs ministry declared it officially that no stapled visa issued by Chinese Embassy in Delhi will be entertained. Before that, it was only at the international Airport where Kashmiri people who had stapled visa would be informed that they couldn’t board the flight because of having different visa; which does not say anything different from normal visa, exccept, it is not pasted but stapled on the passport.   The issue is not as simple as it seems. Why China started issuing separate visas to Kashmiris now when it has always treated it as disputed region? Though a section of Kashmiri society is jubilant about it, and thus thinks China might be a savior to help Kashmir to get independence. But, if we look into history then that seems a hoax. Though China has never treated Kashmir as part of India but it has always adopted different policies vis-à-vis Kashmir, shaped according to her interest.   During 1950’s China adapted neutral policy, but from 1960’s to 1970’s China towed her position towards Pakistan, because of deteriorating relation between USSR and China. Their relations aggravated first because of the non-support of USSSR to China in 1962 Sino-India war, and later turned worse during the time of Cultural Revolution. So there was no love relation for Pakistan, which made China to modify their stand in favor of her “all weather ally”. As the old saying goes, my enemy’s enemy is my friend. With the shift in China’s overall foreign policy during Deng Xiaoping’s period who unlike his predecessor without any doubt gave more importance to economic reformation than sticking to a political ideology. China tried to build its business relations with different foreign countries including India. With the revival of business linkages with India, China’s stand on Kashmir also changed, it went back to its 50s position – ‘Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan’. Thus it secured its business interests at the same time did maintained its relation with Pakistan.   China continued with its post 1980s policy towards Kashmir issue till this year with little variations now and then. However, it is pertinent to mention here that, China alongside The US pushed Pakistan to withdraw from kargil war in 1999. Why china pushed Pakistan to withdraw from Kargil? Either, it does not want war in their neighborhood and if Kargil war could go worse it might affect China also, or it was something else?   Coming back to visa controversy, where Chinese embassy in India is issuing separate visa to Kashmiri student and businessmen. Some political commentators in Kashmir believe it is good for Kashmir, but if we give it a deep thought, it is the Kashmiri who is on the losing side. There are 23 resolutions pending with the United Nations on Kashmir issue. There is an armed conflict - which is supported by peaceful non-violent resistance movement - going on for the last 20 years. The disputed nature of conflict is being discussed in every important forum. Even political commentators go on to say the road for peace in South Asia goes through Kashmir. But that has turned into rhetoric. So how would stapled visa help to solve Kashmir issue? All it does is, it bars Kashmiri students to get their education in China. Similarly, when whole world is trying to build their business relation with China, Kashmiri business community is the only one who can’t take benefit of it. Unlike Indian business community, who don’t face such restrictions? China has emerged as India’s largest trading partner in 2008, while surpassing United States. Just one decade ago, the bilateral trade between the two Asian giants was $2 Billion, and it has reached $51.8 billion in 2008.   If China was sincere to help Kashmir, they would not only help Kashmiri students to get admission and scholarship in Chinese universities on priority bases, but would also give concession to Kashmiri traders, which would not only help China to connect with kashmiri people, but it will also boost deteriorating kashmiri economy. However, it is doing entirely opposite.   The very jubilance in Kashmir about China is coming is like “aaya aaya Lashkar aaya”. Lashkar is coming, Jaish is coming and now China is coming. These comings neither helped in the past nor they are going to help in the future. It might be of the interest of Indian business community (excluding trigger-happy FCCI people who formed task force of retired army generals and bureaucrats, which proposed to wage war in Pakistan, without knowing consequences of it) to have good relation with Pakistan, if the Kashmir problem is solved. India which is not able to get access to central Asian market will not only get that, but the solution will also help to build a successful South Asian block, which is in a way threat for China. So, if China wants to fulfill its dream to rule the Asia, it is in her benefit to have conflict like Kashmir in South Asia. This argument can be also looked in the context of a recent article titled “If China takes a little action, the so-called Great Indian Federation can be broken up” published by a Chinese writer Zhong Guo Zhan Lue Gang on 8th of August, 2009 which says China should use its forces and take support from countries like Pakistan, Nepal etc to split India. The split of India would only help China to be sole economic power in the region.   Though on the political level, China does not have good relation with India, but it does not want its politics effect its economic cooperation with India. And at the same time it’s getting free hand to do any kind of business in Pakistan. The all weather alley and sweeter than sugar friendship with Pakistan is strategically important for China. In one hand Pakistan recognizes Xinjiang, as part of Chinas territory; on the other hand China is getting access and enormous support in Muslim world because of its friendship with Pakistan. However, it cannot be negated, China has been relatively good with Muslim world compared to many western countries, but it is yet to be seen how long this good-will remains.   Finally it has to be seen from one of my Pakistani friend’s perspective, who says whenever I visit China, if I see two people one is Indian and the other is Chinese, I prefer to talk to Indian, than Chinese. I can relate something to him; we share same culture, language, tradition, food habits. The day Kashmir problem is solved we will have more close relation with India than China. So will it be of the Chinas interest to solve the Kashmir problem, when it sees its competitor India, without having a proper trade relation with south Asia and central Asia and yet chasing him in every direction, and if they get access to this area that can be the threat for China’s market, and that too when USA is going to provide India every kind of support to contain China.   Feedback at: gkashmiri at gmail.com     http://www.countercurrents.org/nabi181109.htm     From yasir.media at gmail.com Mon Nov 23 01:14:13 2009 From: yasir.media at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?eWFzaXIgftmK2Kcg2LPYsQ==?=) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:44:13 +0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Who Created Major Hasan? / NYT op-ed Message-ID: <5af37bb0911221144n71217d3xb432f1f5508ded14@mail.gmail.com> Op-Ed Contributor *Who Created Major Hasan?* By ROBERT WRIGHT Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/opinion/22wright.html From rohitrellan at aol.in Mon Nov 23 08:37:22 2009 From: rohitrellan at aol.in (rohitrellan at aol.in) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:07:22 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Weekend workshop on DANCE / MOVEMENT THERAPY in Mumbai In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8CC3A0135551C73-37B4-4EEB@webmail-d044.sysops.aol.com> Weekend workshop on DANCE / MOVEMENT THERAPY @ Expressions Modern Dance Studio,  Mumbai 0n 19th / 20th of December 2009 b/w 10.00 am and 5.00 pm Dance therapy uses natural body movement to attain therapeutic goals.  It enhances our emotional-physical unity, affecting change in feelings, cognition  physical functioning and behavior   Dance therapists extract specific elements from various dance forms to enable people move towards holistic growth and healthier functioning.  This therapy helps release  stress and gain a better understanding of one’s movement potential, conflicts and needs.   Taking part in individual, group, and partnership activities, participants increase their range of motion while enhancing creativity, problem solving skills and team building capacities. The workshop will also help participants use movement activities and games with children and adults.   Theory includes historical evolution, techniques, principles and goals of dance therapy.  The practical segment consists of warm up and cool down routines, movement activities, games and extra daily techniques from Indian and western dance theatre.    The workshop is open to special educators, teachers, artists, team leaders, social workers, therapists and mental health professionals.   Bio-Profile of facilitator:   Tripura Kashyap is a Dance Educator, Movement Therapist & choreographer. She holds a degree in classical dance from Kalakshetra, Chennai.  Tripura studied Dance Therapy at Hancock Center in the U.S and has a Masters degree in Psychology. As choreographer-in-residence at American Dance Festival, she trained in Jazz Ballet, Modern dance, choreography and dance theatre.   Currently, Tripura is projects coordinator for Bhoomika, Delhi. She performs & conducts workshops on contemporary dance and dance therapy. Her handbook on creative dance therapy titled “My body, my wisdom’ was published by Penguin.    For Registration please contact: 243 66 777 / 6 / 1 Expressions studio, Ground Floor, Silver Cascade ,S.B Marg, Dadar (W) Mumbai – 400028 sonali at dancewithemdc.com Visit: www.dancewithemdc.com From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 23 15:14:02 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:44:02 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] Terror suspect David Headley aka Daood Gilani Message-ID: <202341.26210.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Terror suspect David Headley aka Daood Gilani. From 'Drugs Smuggler' to 'stoolie' (informer) for the US-Drugs Enforcement Administration to 'going Muslim'.   Following is extracted from the article "A Terror Suspect With Feet in East and West" by Ginger Thompson in NYT of 21/11/09.   QUOTES ATTRIBUTED TO  David Headley aka Daood Gilani: - “Some of us are saying that ‘Terrorism’ is the weapon of the cowardly,”.... “I will say that you may call it barbaric or immoral or cruel, but never cowardly.”   - “Courage is, by and large, exclusive to the Muslim nation.”   - “The best way for a man to die is with the sword.” (defending the beheading of a Polish engineer by the Taliban in Pakistan)   - “We will retaliate against India.”   - “NATO criminal vermin dropping 22,000 lbs bombs on unsuspecting, unarmed Afghan villagers” ......... “napalming southeast Asian farmers.”   COMMENT MADE ABOUT David Headley aka Daood Gilani: - “He would clearly state he had contempt for infidels,” ...... “He kept talking about the return of the 14th century, saying Islam was going to take over the world.” (by Mr. Lacovara, former worker at the bar run by DH aka DG)   Kshmendra     November 22, 2009 "A Terror Suspect With Feet in East and West" By GINGER THOMPSON   PHILADELPHIA — The trip from a strict Pakistani boarding school to a bohemian bar in Philadelphia has defined David Headley’s life, according to those who know the middle-age man at the center of a global terrorism investigation.   Raised by his father in Pakistan as a devout Muslim, Mr. Headley arrived back here at 17 to live with his American mother, a former socialite who ran a bar called the Khyber Pass.   Today, Mr. Headley is an Islamic fundamentalist who once liked to get high. He has a traditional Pakistani wife, who lives with their children in Chicago, but also an American girlfriend — a makeup artist in New York — according to a relative and friends. Depending on the setting, he alternates between the name he adopted in the United States, David Headley, and the Urdu one he was given at birth, Daood Gilani. Even his eyes — one brown, the other green — hint at roots in two places.   Mr. Headley, an American citizen, is accused of being the lead operative in a loose-knit group of militants plotting revenge against a Danish newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The indictment against him portrays a man who moved easily between different worlds. The profile that has emerged of him since his arrest, however, suggests that Mr. Headley felt pulled between two cultures and ultimately gravitated toward an extremist Islamic one.   “Some of us are saying that ‘Terrorism’ is the weapon of the cowardly,” Mr. Headley wrote in an e-mail message to his high school classmates last February. “I will say that you may call it barbaric or immoral or cruel, but never cowardly.”   He added, “Courage is, by and large, exclusive to the Muslim nation.”   Mr. Headley’s e-mail messages, including many that defended beheadings and suicide bombings as heroic, are among the evidence in the government’s case against him and his accused co-conspirator, Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who was born in Pakistan, is a citizen of Canada and runs businesses in Chicago.   The men, who became close friends in a military academy outside Islamabad, were arrested last month in Chicago. They are charged with plotting an attack they labeled the Mickey Mouse Project against Jyllands-Posten, the Danish newspaper whose cartoons provoked outrage across the Muslim world.   Since then, the investigation has widened beyond Chicago and Copenhagen. The authorities have learned more, with cooperation from Mr. Headley, about the two men’s network of contacts with known terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani militant group, as well as officials in the Pakistani government and military. United States and Indian investigators are also looking into whether the two Chicago men, who traveled to Mumbai before the deadly assault there last November, may have been involved in the plot.   Mr. Headley, 49, and Mr. Rana, 48, stand out from the young, poor extremists from fundamentalist Islamic schools who strike targets in or close to their homelands. Instead, their privileged backgrounds, extensive travel and bouts of culture shock make them more like Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-proclaimed architect of the Sept. 11 attacks, who attended college in the United States, and Mohammed Atta, one of the lead hijackers.   Mr. Rana’s father is a former principal of a high school outside Lahore. One of his brothers is a Pakistani military psychiatrist who has written several books, and another is a journalist at a Canadian political newspaper, The Hill Times.   Trained as a physician, Mr. Rana immigrated to Canada in 1997 and became a citizen a few years later. Then he moved his wife and three children to Chicago, where he opened a travel agency that also provided immigration services on Devon Avenue, which cuts through the heart of the city’s Pakistani community. In 2002, he started a Halal slaughterhouse that butchers goats, sheep and cows according to Islamic religious laws.   He and his family live in a small brick house on the North Side with a huge satellite dish on the roof. Neighbors described Mr. Rana as a recluse who rarely spoke to anyone and whose children never played with others on the street.   “He seemed very committed to his Islamic religion,” said William Rodosky, who once managed Mr. Rana’s slaughterhouse, in Kinsman, Ill., about 65 miles southwest of Chicago. “He said he wanted the business so he could provide meat to his people and make a little money.”   Mr. Rodosky echoed the views of several others who knew and did business with Mr. Rana when he said he was “shocked about the terrorism charges.”   “As far as I knew, he was very nice man and a very good businessman,” Mr. Rodosky said.   But Mr. Headley did not draw the same expressions of shock. Those who knew him paint a more troubled image.   “Most people have contradictions in their lives, but they learn to reconcile them,” said William Headley, an uncle who owns a day care center in Nottingham, Pa. “But Daood could never do that. The left side does not speak to the right side. And that’s the problem.”   Daood Sayed Gilani was born in Washington, where his parents worked at the Pakistani Embassy. Friends of the family said his father, Sayed Salim Gilani, a dashing diplomat and an avid musicologist and poet, charmed his way into the heart of Serrill Headley, who had left Philadelphia’s Main Line to work as a secretary at the embassy.   In 1960, the couple and their infant son, Daood, left the United States bound for England aboard the ship America, and from there went on to Lahore. But the marriage quickly soured, friends said, as Mr. Gilani immersed himself in the traditions of his homeland and his bride refused to submit to them.   After Ms. Headley left Mr. Gilani and her son and a daughter, Syedah, in Pakistan, friends say, the details of her life become lost in a jumble of fact and fiction. Ms. Headley, a red-haired, green-eyed woman, told friends she married an “Afghan prince” but then had to flee Kabul after he was murdered.   She arrived back in Philadelphia, friends said, in the early 1970s, taking different office jobs and dating wealthy suitors until one of them lent her money to buy an old bar. She turned it into the Khyber Pass, decorated with billowing Afghan wedding tents and stocked with exotic beers.   In 1977, Pakistan’s government was overthrown in a military coup, and Ms. Headley, friends said, feared for her children. She traveled to Pakistan, withdrew her son from the Hasan Abdal Cadet College and brought him to live with her, a move recorded by The Philadelphia Inquirer. (Her daughter, Syedah, stayed behind with her father for several years.)   “He has never been alone with, much less had a date with, a girl, except the servant girls of his household,” the article said, referring to the teenage Daood Gilani. “But he has just this day found a cricket team to join. And he has just this day, after watching American TV, said to his mother in his soft Urdu-English that she is to him like the Bionic Woman.”   According to family friends, the teenager soon rebelled against his mother’s heavy drinking and multiple sexual relationships by engaging in the same behavior.   “Those were the days when girls, weed, and whatever, were readily available,” Jay Wilson, who worked at the Khyber Pass, wrote in an e-mail message from England. “Daood was not immune to the pleasures of American adolescence.”   Later, said Lorenzo Lacovara, another former worker at the bar, Daood Gilani began expressing anger at all non-Muslims.   “He would clearly state he had contempt for infidels,” Mr. Lacovara said in a telephone interview from New Mexico. “He kept talking about the return of the 14th century, saying Islam was going to take over the world.”   Ms. Headley tried to help her son straighten out his life. In 1985, she put him in charge of the Khyber Pass, but he proved to be such a poor manager that they lost the bar a couple of years later, friends of the family said.   Ms. Headley embarked on her third marriage, and her son set off for New York, where he opened two video rental stores in Manhattan. It is unclear where he got the money to start the ventures. But court files suggest that the source may not have been entirely legal.   In 1998, Mr. Gilani, then 38, was convicted of conspiring to smuggle heroin into the country from Pakistan. Court records show that after his arrest, he provided so much information about his own involvement with drug trafficking, which stretched back more than a decade, and about his Pakistani suppliers, that he was sentenced to less than two years in jail and later went to Pakistan to conduct undercover surveillance operationsfor the Drug Enforcement Administration.   In 2006, he changed his name to David Headley, apparently to make border crossings between the United States and other countries easier, court documents say. About that time, his uncle said, he moved his family to Chicago because it had a large Muslim community and he wanted to send his four children to religious schools.   There, the family lived in a small second-floor apartment. Mr. Headley claimed to work for Mr. Rana’s immigration agency. The two men attended the Jame Masjid mosque on Fridays, then stopped at the nearby Zam Zamrestaurant to eat and talk politics. Cricket, neighbors said, was their passion.   But Mr. Headley never seemed to fully fit in. Masood Qadir, who sometimes watched cricket with him, said he was “different” and kept mostly to himself.   E-mail messages show, however, that Mr. Headley stayed in regular contact with classmates from the military high school he attended in Pakistan, often engaging in impassioned debates about politics and Islam.   Earlier this year, Mr. Headley complained about “NATO criminal vermin dropping 22,000 lbs bombs on unsuspecting, unarmed Afghan villagers” or “napalming southeast Asian farmers.” Writing about Pakistan’s chief enemy, he said, “We will retaliate against India.”   And in an e-mail message defending the beheading of a Polish engineer by the Taliban in Pakistan, he wrote, “The best way for a man to die is with the sword.”   (Reporting was contributed by Puk Damsgard in Islamabad, Pakistan; Emma Graves Fitzsimmons in Chicago; Nate Schweber and John Eligon in New York; and Ian Austen in Ottawa. Research was contributed by Barclay Walsh in Washington.)   http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/us/22terror.html?pagewanted=all       From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 23 16:52:25 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:22:25 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Making a difference" Message-ID: <212251.5991.qm@web57206.mail.re3.yahoo.com> "Making a difference" By Aroosa Masroor   Monday, 23 Nov, 2009   Just a few minutes into a conversation with 21-year-old Maham Ali and it becomes apparent that she’s not an ordinary Pakistani citizen, indifferent to the many crises plaguing her country. Unlike most, Maham does not just sit back and complain or fret. She chooses to rise to the occasion and actually make a difference in these troubling times.   Maham’s recent initiative to raise funds for the family of a poor Christian janitor, who lost his life in the International Islamic University blast in Islamabad a month ago, has won the praise of many. With the help of SMS text messages and the internet, she single-handedly raised a sum of Rs 52,500 for Pervaiz Masih’s family. ‘I think it was the thought of a suicide bomber striking an educational campus that got to me. Initially, I was terrified since I have friends studying there, but later I realised that out of all that chaos and tragedy, a hero had emerged: Pervaiz Masih.’ Masih saved the lives of hundreds of female students at the university by preventing the bomb From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 23 16:53:00 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:23:00 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Making a difference" Message-ID: <234409.27554.qm@web57201.mail.re3.yahoo.com> "Making a difference" By Aroosa Masroor   Monday, 23 Nov, 2009   Just a few minutes into a conversation with 21-year-old Maham Ali and it becomes apparent that she’s not an ordinary Pakistani citizen, indifferent to the many crises plaguing her country. Unlike most, Maham does not just sit back and complain or fret. She chooses to rise to the occasion and actually make a difference in these troubling times.   Maham’s recent initiative to raise funds for the family of a poor Christian janitor, who lost his life in the International Islamic University blast in Islamabad a month ago, has won the praise of many. With the help of SMS text messages and the internet, she single-handedly raised a sum of Rs 52,500 for Pervaiz Masih’s family. ‘I think it was the thought of a suicide bomber striking an educational campus that got to me. Initially, I was terrified since I have friends studying there, but later I realised that out of all that chaos and tragedy, a hero had emerged: Pervaiz Masih.’ Masih saved the lives of hundreds of female students at the university by preventing the bomb From indersalim at gmail.com Mon Nov 23 18:46:10 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:46:10 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai In-Reply-To: <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> References: <47e122a70911200704n177ca615x5dc9a6946119adaa@mail.gmail.com> <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> Message-ID: <47e122a70911230516g5d5b6fe3k1e6cd172617b1c06@mail.gmail.com> Thanks dear Taraprakash for this wonderful and profound reflection on ' reality out there ' besides anger of Yasin which is only Kashmir specific. Thanks for writing "I am sorry for your plight inder " and i feel connected. That is how we human beings connect each other. But, i know few who commented on my personal land dispute, that it is between you and my cousin, and so they have nothing to comment, which means that they maintain relationship with the my cousin , and with me as well. But there are some who bluntly said to my cousin that u have done something grossly unethical. that is the layer one, but if we dont recongnize the dispute as significant in the first place then the benefit of doubt goes to the opressor, not only in my personal case, but it applies to all the conflicts, including Kashmir. So, that then comes about what is Law? To maintain a two square piece of land and call is our own is not ' baniyagree' but something very basic in the present situation. and even in the past. if not, then do we need to re-define 'space' as and when we debate social relationship in any given system. or we know what we own at our personal level and also at national level, and also at world level. The poet obviously own the entire cosmos, but s/he simultaneously uses the sounds which are too earthy and have social values, withou which the meaning of cosmos is lost even. I should see the poet protesting about the injustices committed by those landlords who rendered millions of people homless, and landless . The suffering beging from indifference of this violence. Perhaps, these greedy cousins create insecurities amongst masses, which might be the reason of wars even. True, i am not the exception to land dispute, but to feel 'sorry' about ones plight is perhaps the begining of the political. To feel sorry for someone being raped or humilated or killed is also a very basic human emotion, which is not far for depriviping somebody from basic rights. that is a true human emotion which i understand. The world of appearances is not a shallow one, but deeper and profound at the same time. True that metaphysical dimensions of reality are merged with this wordly one. but can we seperate the two, since we are almost lost in this maze of our respective beings on this earth as social animals, which is full of contradtions. i agree that there is suffering and we are generally ' sorry ' for that. But that is much better than indiffernce. And so, in the bitter reality of ours, we indeed feel that cousin Yasin and cousin Manmohan singh , both you and me, and all the cousins can sell each others lands without permission. Ah, what at practical eye to look at things. So, then Britishers who sold the land to a maharaja without the permission of J&K people were perhaps doing what was norm for rulers to do. But what if the same becomes political now? hope i was able to convey regards love is On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 10:41 PM, taraprakash wrote: > Cousin Yasin Malik is as likely to sell my land without my permission as > cousin Manmohan Singh is. The latter is a distant cousin so my protest is > likely to be louder and more vociferous if the latter sells my land. In that > case scenario my closer cousin is also likely to join me in demonstrating > anger. He didn't have personally to lose, but he lost the opportunity to > gain. I am sorry for your plight Inder, but what happened is not really > unusual; the problem is not exclusive for you or for the "valley". You, Mr. > Malik and Mr. Thakuray  are all justified in demonstrating their anger. > > Anger is a natural human emotion, it has to find its way in to you, if > people don't have an issue, they can create one. If we don't lose our land, > we lose our identity. Did you see a recent anger on an old song demonstrated > by an organization that seems to have run out of issues? I wish people were > as angry about child labour, corruption, discrimination on the basis of > wealth, or lack thereof. Some fatvas, some trishools, some anger, to rectify > these problems are so much needed. > > As about the distant and close cousins they often happen to be the rulers of > our destiny: > > Kya afrangi, kya tatari > Aankh bachi aur barchi mari > Kab tak janta ki bechani > Kab tak janta ki bezari > Kab tak sarmaye ke dhandhe > Kab tak ye saramayadari? > > Badal bijali rain andhiyari > Dukh ki mari parja sari > Bacche burhe sab dukhiya hain > Dukhiya nar hai dukhya nari > Basti basti loot machi hai > Sab baniye hain sab vyapari. > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" > To: "reader-list" > Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 10:04 AM > Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai > > >> Yasin Malik ko gusa kyoun aata hai? >> >> Recently, i managed a ' Biradari meeting ' (civil society meeting ) >> in  Jammu to settle my personal land dispute with my Ist cousin, who >> sold my ancestral property ( home ) clendestinely in Kashmir.  My >> counsin, being too elderly,  started with things alien to the core >> dispute. Some personal attacks and lies which made me angry, and i >> shouted in the middle of his opening presentation, which perhaps >> ruined the chances of a just settlement. The case is still in the High >> court, but 'out of court' settlement is difficult to arrive , because >> he is now the beneficiary of our decadent' civil' legal procedures, >> and even if settled in my favour, he has really very little to lose, >> except to part away with the 1/2 share which is already mine. And why >> he should he honour the ' biradari' , money  after all matters. >> >> I  regret that the meeting failed, not because i lost my cool, but >> that i was optimistic about powers of ' biradiri'. Now, i should >> either forget my rights, or throw stones at him. The pain in the ass >> is that i cant forget my rights, and neither i can throw stones... >> >> only diplomats, lawayers, judges and other such high profile ranks are >> trained to mask their emotions. Common man , often speak what they >> feel is true, even loudly. Because, we live in the mundane reality of >> our  reality, which looks existential from most of the angles. And the >> reality is contaminated, both literally and metaphorically. >> >> unfortunately the trend is diplomatically speading to other circles as >> well,  and the worst is that this so called cool mannerism falls in >> the catagory of non-violence, and ah, the rest is violence! >> Creative people, i guess, ought to deal with violence creatively. >> Indeed, violence creates violence, and so catogorized, but who two >> people do live in peace ?  It is not a black and white game. >> >> Burning British garments was Gandhi's creative political move, which >> has nothing to do with Violence or non-violence. Perhaps, Jinnah was >> less creative and could not think beyond his master idea: Pakistan. >> Some sense of humour could have changed the destiny of millions in >> 1947, but alas. >> >> Given the fact that people can be defined beyond this violence >> non-violence binary,  which might give us the idea why we beleive in >> civil societies, and for what, if not to undersand the anger of a >> community or even an individual. To say, that a clean shaven politican >> X is non-violent in comparison to a militant named Y is again our own >> limitation to enter the maze of our society.  Any society is >> intrinsically made up of a mosaic of different realites, violence and >> non-violence are just two colours in it. >> >> Stragely enough, we human beings proliferate on earth by being so >> violent to each other in the first place, and simultaneously to the >> nautre as well, and yet we keep on talking about the de-merits of >> non-violence. Quite ironica, and if we think only about the explicit >> forms of non-violence we are again doing some violence to the subject. >> Non-violence is one of most  profound subjects, because it often >> begins with that  ' know they self' thing,  and then the other. And do >> we have a formula to manifest ' the self' ? >> >> Since Mahabarata, we have zillions of cases related to land dispute, >> and millions pending in our  courts for the same reason. The violence >> erupts from that sense of not being to own what our given complex >> beings desire. It is true that we dont know what we actualy want, and >> yet we have a reason to pick up a fight for protecting what we feel we >> possess. >> >> Here, i may start writing on why Yasin Malik expressed anger about >> 'Kashmir issue' in a recent ' civil'  meeting at Delhi's Teen Murti. >> But that is again a repetition of what we already know......given the >> fact that 'Kahsmir issue' is now thoroughly internalized in the valley >> minds; they feel it is personal. The violence of ' the past'  has >> perhaps made it happen like that. >> >> >> with love >> is >> >> >> >> -- >> >> http://indersalim.livejournal.com >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From taraprakash at gmail.com Tue Nov 24 01:51:26 2009 From: taraprakash at gmail.com (taraprakash) Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:21:26 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai References: <47e122a70911200704n177ca615x5dc9a6946119adaa@mail.gmail.com> <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> <47e122a70911230516g5d5b6fe3k1e6cd172617b1c06@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <93DD236530A447668ED019BD069FD860@tara> Hello Inder. For you the personal and political aspects of the problem may intersect at the point when brittishers sold the land to maharaja, for some others it begins with the concept of ownership of property. When the Man decided X part as the land of the self and Y part as the land of the other. That perhaps was the beginning of colonialism. This is when Nature started losing to Culture and universal to personal. Our cousins/leaders/rulers seem to have always embraced the personal when in the advantageous situations, and universal in less favorable times. You ask what is law. I believe you know that law is the instrument of offering and justifying benefits to the people in power at a given time. I do sympathize with you again but I have no sympathies for Mr. Malik nor with his cause. Forgive my cynicism in saying that India never became free, nor shall Kashmir ever be. Kashmiri rich may be able to buy the land from the Indian rich, only thing that apparently will change is who provides for the chains. Human memory has become very short, 10, or may be 50 years, from now I will have forgotten about your loss of your land. If at that time I meet your cousin in a dismal situation, as his cousin sold "his" land, I might again be sympathetic. That will look like "beginning of political," but I don't think it should becalled beginning. Regards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" To: "taraprakash" Cc: "reader-list" Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 8:16 AM Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai Thanks dear Taraprakash for this wonderful and profound reflection on ' reality out there ' besides anger of Yasin which is only Kashmir specific. Thanks for writing "I am sorry for your plight inder " and i feel connected. That is how we human beings connect each other. But, i know few who commented on my personal land dispute, that it is between you and my cousin, and so they have nothing to comment, which means that they maintain relationship with the my cousin , and with me as well. But there are some who bluntly said to my cousin that u have done something grossly unethical. that is the layer one, but if we dont recongnize the dispute as significant in the first place then the benefit of doubt goes to the opressor, not only in my personal case, but it applies to all the conflicts, including Kashmir. So, that then comes about what is Law? To maintain a two square piece of land and call is our own is not ' baniyagree' but something very basic in the present situation. and even in the past. if not, then do we need to re-define 'space' as and when we debate social relationship in any given system. or we know what we own at our personal level and also at national level, and also at world level. The poet obviously own the entire cosmos, but s/he simultaneously uses the sounds which are too earthy and have social values, withou which the meaning of cosmos is lost even. I should see the poet protesting about the injustices committed by those landlords who rendered millions of people homless, and landless . The suffering beging from indifference of this violence. Perhaps, these greedy cousins create insecurities amongst masses, which might be the reason of wars even. True, i am not the exception to land dispute, but to feel 'sorry' about ones plight is perhaps the begining of the political. To feel sorry for someone being raped or humilated or killed is also a very basic human emotion, which is not far for depriviping somebody from basic rights. that is a true human emotion which i understand. The world of appearances is not a shallow one, but deeper and profound at the same time. True that metaphysical dimensions of reality are merged with this wordly one. but can we seperate the two, since we are almost lost in this maze of our respective beings on this earth as social animals, which is full of contradtions. i agree that there is suffering and we are generally ' sorry ' for that. But that is much better than indiffernce. And so, in the bitter reality of ours, we indeed feel that cousin Yasin and cousin Manmohan singh , both you and me, and all the cousins can sell each others lands without permission. Ah, what at practical eye to look at things. So, then Britishers who sold the land to a maharaja without the permission of J&K people were perhaps doing what was norm for rulers to do. But what if the same becomes political now? hope i was able to convey regards love is On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 10:41 PM, taraprakash wrote: > Cousin Yasin Malik is as likely to sell my land without my permission as > cousin Manmohan Singh is. The latter is a distant cousin so my protest is > likely to be louder and more vociferous if the latter sells my land. In > that > case scenario my closer cousin is also likely to join me in demonstrating > anger. He didn't have personally to lose, but he lost the opportunity to > gain. I am sorry for your plight Inder, but what happened is not really > unusual; the problem is not exclusive for you or for the "valley". You, > Mr. > Malik and Mr. Thakuray are all justified in demonstrating their anger. > > Anger is a natural human emotion, it has to find its way in to you, if > people don't have an issue, they can create one. If we don't lose our > land, > we lose our identity. Did you see a recent anger on an old song > demonstrated > by an organization that seems to have run out of issues? I wish people > were > as angry about child labour, corruption, discrimination on the basis of > wealth, or lack thereof. Some fatvas, some trishools, some anger, to > rectify > these problems are so much needed. > > As about the distant and close cousins they often happen to be the rulers > of > our destiny: > > Kya afrangi, kya tatari > Aankh bachi aur barchi mari > Kab tak janta ki bechani > Kab tak janta ki bezari > Kab tak sarmaye ke dhandhe > Kab tak ye saramayadari? > > Badal bijali rain andhiyari > Dukh ki mari parja sari > Bacche burhe sab dukhiya hain > Dukhiya nar hai dukhya nari > Basti basti loot machi hai > Sab baniye hain sab vyapari. > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" > To: "reader-list" > Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 10:04 AM > Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai > > >> Yasin Malik ko gusa kyoun aata hai? >> >> Recently, i managed a ' Biradari meeting ' (civil society meeting ) >> in Jammu to settle my personal land dispute with my Ist cousin, who >> sold my ancestral property ( home ) clendestinely in Kashmir. My >> counsin, being too elderly, started with things alien to the core >> dispute. Some personal attacks and lies which made me angry, and i >> shouted in the middle of his opening presentation, which perhaps >> ruined the chances of a just settlement. The case is still in the High >> court, but 'out of court' settlement is difficult to arrive , because >> he is now the beneficiary of our decadent' civil' legal procedures, >> and even if settled in my favour, he has really very little to lose, >> except to part away with the 1/2 share which is already mine. And why >> he should he honour the ' biradari' , money after all matters. >> >> I regret that the meeting failed, not because i lost my cool, but >> that i was optimistic about powers of ' biradiri'. Now, i should >> either forget my rights, or throw stones at him. The pain in the ass >> is that i cant forget my rights, and neither i can throw stones... >> >> only diplomats, lawayers, judges and other such high profile ranks are >> trained to mask their emotions. Common man , often speak what they >> feel is true, even loudly. Because, we live in the mundane reality of >> our reality, which looks existential from most of the angles. And the >> reality is contaminated, both literally and metaphorically. >> >> unfortunately the trend is diplomatically speading to other circles as >> well, and the worst is that this so called cool mannerism falls in >> the catagory of non-violence, and ah, the rest is violence! >> Creative people, i guess, ought to deal with violence creatively. >> Indeed, violence creates violence, and so catogorized, but who two >> people do live in peace ? It is not a black and white game. >> >> Burning British garments was Gandhi's creative political move, which >> has nothing to do with Violence or non-violence. Perhaps, Jinnah was >> less creative and could not think beyond his master idea: Pakistan. >> Some sense of humour could have changed the destiny of millions in >> 1947, but alas. >> >> Given the fact that people can be defined beyond this violence >> non-violence binary, which might give us the idea why we beleive in >> civil societies, and for what, if not to undersand the anger of a >> community or even an individual. To say, that a clean shaven politican >> X is non-violent in comparison to a militant named Y is again our own >> limitation to enter the maze of our society. Any society is >> intrinsically made up of a mosaic of different realites, violence and >> non-violence are just two colours in it. >> >> Stragely enough, we human beings proliferate on earth by being so >> violent to each other in the first place, and simultaneously to the >> nautre as well, and yet we keep on talking about the de-merits of >> non-violence. Quite ironica, and if we think only about the explicit >> forms of non-violence we are again doing some violence to the subject. >> Non-violence is one of most profound subjects, because it often >> begins with that ' know they self' thing, and then the other. And do >> we have a formula to manifest ' the self' ? >> >> Since Mahabarata, we have zillions of cases related to land dispute, >> and millions pending in our courts for the same reason. The violence >> erupts from that sense of not being to own what our given complex >> beings desire. It is true that we dont know what we actualy want, and >> yet we have a reason to pick up a fight for protecting what we feel we >> possess. >> >> Here, i may start writing on why Yasin Malik expressed anger about >> 'Kashmir issue' in a recent ' civil' meeting at Delhi's Teen Murti. >> But that is again a repetition of what we already know......given the >> fact that 'Kahsmir issue' is now thoroughly internalized in the valley >> minds; they feel it is personal. The violence of ' the past' has >> perhaps made it happen like that. >> >> >> with love >> is >> >> >> >> -- >> >> http://indersalim.livejournal.com >> _________________________________________ >> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >> Critiques & Collaborations >> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >> subscribe in the subject header. >> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> > > -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From sitarsubrata at gmail.com Sun Nov 22 11:10:33 2009 From: sitarsubrata at gmail.com (Subrata De) Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:40:33 +0700 Subject: [Reader-list] inlaks grant In-Reply-To: <74b8cec50911212110p6d4f9fb9ocb5bf16f69da4e8e@mail.gmail.com> References: <74b8cec50911212110p6d4f9fb9ocb5bf16f69da4e8e@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <5368cc5e0911212140p3c04514bmff1c7565bd2ee934@mail.gmail.com> thanks click the link for details; http://www.inlaksfoundation.org/Inlaks-Fine-Art-Awards.htm -- SH. SUBRATA DE , Sitar Teacher / Performer , Tel - 0066839001459 http://www.noisehead.com/mypage/subratade www.subratade.com http://www.myspace.com/sitaristsubratade http://www.swaranjalionline.com From iram at sarai.net Tue Nov 24 12:29:02 2009 From: iram at sarai.net (Iram Ghufran) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:59:02 +0600 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: Inlaks Grant for young artists In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4B0B8436.5020607@sarai.net> Subject: INLAKS GRANT From: Begaluru artist- residency > Dear Artists, > > Greetings!Please forward this to young artists you know. > > Inlaks Fine Arts Award 2010 > Deadline - 10 December 2009 > > click the link for details; > > http://www.inlaksfoundation.org/Inlaks-Fine-Art-Awards.htm > From difusion at medialab-prado.es Wed Nov 18 16:44:55 2009 From: difusion at medialab-prado.es (Medialab-Prado comunicacion) Date: Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:14:55 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Open Up: Call for projects on digital facades (Madrid, Spain) Message-ID: <4B03D72F.2030805@medialab-prado.es> * Call for projects on digital facades: Open Up** * Deadline: *December 10, 2009 ** *Dates of the workshop: *February 9 through 23, 2010 *Venue: *Medialab-Prado* in Madrid (Spain). Worskhop tutors: *Jordi Claramonte, Chandler McWilliams, Casey Reas,* and *Víctor Viña*. Directed and coordinated by *Nerea Calvillo*.* * Open Up is a workshop for the development of projects for the digital façade in Medialab-Prado's building. This call is addressed to the presentation of proposals to be collaboratively developed during the workshop-seminar taking place in Madrid from February 9 through 23, 2010. The goal is to explore the relation between the urban screen and public space, to experiment with the screen's communicative, narrative and visual capacities and to investigate its potential to offer new forms of participation such as receiving and participating in the different phases of content production. Selected projects will be developed under the supervision of teachers, technical assistants and an extensive group of collaborators. Projects presented in this call will have to explore aspects such as: development of strategies for public participation, activation of urban space through the screen, foster public visibility of agents that normally have none, visualization of public collectives; interaction with portable devices, etc. All those interested in collaborating in one of the selected projects can sign in from *J**anuary 5 through February 8, 2010*. Check the call guidelines and submit your project before *December 10, 2009*.* *No entry fees.* *http://medialab-prado.es/article/open_up More information and call guidelines: medianeralab (at) medialab-prado.es * Venue:* Medialab-Prado Plaza de las Letras Calle Alameda, 15 28014 Madrid (Spain) -- Nerea García Garmendia Comunicación / Press Medialab-Prado Área de Las Artes, Ayuntamiento de Madrid Plaza de las Letras Alameda, 15 28014 Madrid Tfno. +34 914 202 754 difusion at medialab-prado.es www.medialab-prado.es "Antes de imprimir este documento asegúrate de que es realmente necesario. ¡Gracias por tu colaboración!" -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From turbulence at turbulence.org Tue Nov 10 21:54:06 2009 From: turbulence at turbulence.org (Turbulence) Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:24:06 -0500 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Turbulence Spotlight: "One Text, Many Stories" by Annette Weintraub Message-ID: <003701ca6222$3b917900$b2b46b00$@org> Turbulence Spotlight: "One Text, Many Stories -- URBAN MEMORY LOSS: a Nightmare of Change in which Time is Inscribed in Space -or How a Text Became a Story" by Annette Weintraub http://turbulence.org/spotlight/onetext [To View: Reset the zoom on your browser to 100% and turn off text zoom. Optimized for Firefox 3.xx, Safari 4, Google Chrome 3, and Internet Explorer 8] "One Text, Many Stories" is an exploration of reading, and of how the visual context and process of reading influences interpretation. An original text composed of nine short passages describes an urban space reconstituted in memory, and is interspersed with short extracts from Michael de Certeau's "The Practice of Everyday Life" and "The Production of Space" by Henri Lefebre. Taken together, the passages are a construction of 'the city' as a fluid mental map of elements that are shuffled and rearranged. Inspired by the css Zen Garden (http://www.csszengarden.com/) use of CSS to separate structure and appearance, each page redisplays and reconfigures the primary text. Through this alteration, the text undergoes shifts in meaning and narrative arc. BIOGRAPHY Annette Weintraub is a media artist whose projects embed layered narratives within a variety of architectural constructs. Her work is an investigation of architecture as visual language, and focuses on the dynamics of urban space, the intrusion of media into public space and the symbolism of space. She creates projects that integrate elements of narrative, film and architecture within a conceptual representation of space. She is now working with hybrid constructs of 2D and 3D in order to explore modes of spatial representation and the subjective experience of physical space. Weintraub's projects have been shown at venues that include: The Atlanta Contemporary Art Center; The International Art Biennial-Buenos Aires; 5th Salon de Arte in Cuba; File in Brazil; Video Biennal Israel; The 5th Biennial of Media and Architecture in Graz Austria; The Whitney Biennial; The International Center for Photography/ICP; The First Chiang Mai New Media Art Festival; The International Film Festival Rotterdam; Thirteen/WNET TV's Reel New York.Web; Viper in Switzerland; at SIGGRAPH and ISEA and numerous other national and international exhibitions. Commissions include The Rushlikon Centre for Global Dialogue, CEPA and Turbulence. She is Professor of Art and Chair of the Art Department at The City College of New York, CUNY. For more Turbulence Spotlights, please visit http://turbulence.org/spotlight _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From santhosh.kanipayur at gmail.com Thu Nov 19 10:35:36 2009 From: santhosh.kanipayur at gmail.com (Santhosh Kumar) Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:35:36 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Change of date: Dec 15th last date of entry for ViBGYOR Film Festival Message-ID: <19d498870911182105n7b478b4dwc4ca2f9eaa4c8b8c@mail.gmail.com> Dear friends, There was a mistake in the Call for entries, ViBGYOR Film Festival 2010. The last date for entry for films is December 15, 2009. We are sorry for this mistake. Warmly, C. Saratchandran( 09446426433) Fr. Benny Benedict (09447000830) Artistic Director, ViBGYOR-2010 Executive Director, ViBGYOR 2010 Call for Entries Welcome to the 5th Edition of ViBGYOR International Film Festival for Short & Documentary films, to be held in Thrissur, Kerala, India from February 17-21, 2010! We are in the process of pooling Films to be screened under the SEVEN different themes and THREE packages of ViBGYOR. If you or a friend wishes to send a recent film/s to ViBGYOR, we shall gladly include them in the PREVIEW for preliminary selection. Due to time and space constraints we can only screen around 75 films in the festival. An eminent panel of Jury will select the final set of films to be screened at the Festival. We hope you would send us your films (not entered at ViBGYOR before) on or before November 15th, 2009, complying with the Rules & Regulations of ViBGYOR Film Festival and also provide all required documents/material (synopsis and production details, stills form the film etc) along with the DVD and not later. i) All selected films will receive a Certificate of Participation. ii) All selected filmmakers are invited to attend the festival and are assured of local hospitality. (ViBGYOR is currently not in a position to pay for travel expenses). iii) Selected films will be part of ViBGYOR Touring Festival conducted in schools, colleges and villages and small towns in Kerala and elsewhere. iv) For detailed information on the festival and to enter your film at ViBGYOR, please log on to www.vibgyorfilm.org. There is no Entry Fee. Fill up the Entry Form and send it along with the DVD (PAL), a STILL photograph from the film and director's photograph. Last date of receiving films (post marked) *December 15th, 2009* To address possible technical glitches during screening we advise you to include an extra DVD copy of your film Send queries to vibgyorfilmfest at gmail.com or call ViBGYOR office 0487-6458301 Warmly, C. Saratchandran( 09446426433) Fr. Benny Benedict (09447000830) Artistic Director, ViBGYOR-2010 Executive Director, ViBGYOR 2010 -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Tue Nov 24 15:27:29 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (CologneOFF) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:57:29 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091124105729.92229D7C.87C98771@192.168.0.3> VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org 1) Video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database --> Today, 24 November 2009---> "Forbidden City" by Lily and Honglei (China) http://vad.nmartproject.net 2) Today, 24 November and tomorrow 25 November 2009 screenings of two CologneOFF V festival programs at TMG Gallery Guarda on Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 the screening on 24 Nov include videos by Casey McKee (USA), Alex Lora (Spain) Frank Gatti (France), Jym Davis (USA) Erika Yeomans (USA), Margarida Paiva (Portugal) Istvan Rusvai (Hungary) ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF --> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Tue Nov 24 16:40:44 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:10:44 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] chalay chalo ki voh manzil abhi nahi aaee In-Reply-To: <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> Message-ID: <332784.34198.qm@web57207.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Tara   A poem by Faiz for you (and all). Translations from the book "Poems by Faiz" (V G Kiernan).   Written by Faiz on creation of Pakistan in 1947. Relevant even today for India (and perhaps most of the world)     Kshmendra         "Subh-e-Aazaadii" Ye daagh daagh ujaalaa, ye shab-gaziida sahar, Vo intizaar thaa jis-kaa, ye vo sahar to nahiiN, Ye vo sahar to nahiiN jis-kii aarzu lekar Chale the yaar ke mil-ja`egi kahiiN na kahiN Falak ke dasht meN taroN kii aakhiri manzil, KahiN to hogaa shab-e sust mauj kaa sahil, KahiN to jaake rukegaa safiina-e-gham-e-dil. JawaaN lahu kii pur-asraar shaahrahoN se Chale jo yaar to daaman pe kitne hath paRe; Diyaar-e-husn kii be-sabr khwaabgaahoN se Pukaarti-rahiiN baahen, badan bulaate-rahe; Bahut 'aziiz thii lekin rukh-e-sahar ki lagan, Bahut qariin thaa hasiinaN-e-nuur kaa daaman, , Subuk subuk thii tamannaa, dabii dabii thii thakan.   Sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai firaaq-e-zulmat-o-nuur, Sunaa hai ho bhii chukaa hai visaal-e-manzil-o-gaam; Badal-chukaa hai bahut ahl-e-dard kaa dastuur, Nishaat-e-vasl halaal o 'azab-e-hijr haraam.   Jigar kii aag, nazar kii umang, dil kii jalan, kisii pe chaara-e-hijraaN kaa kuchh asar hii nahiiN. KahaaN se aa'ii nigaar-e-sabaa, kidhar ko ga'ii? Abhii charaagh-e-sar-e-rah ko kuchh khabar hii nahiiN; Abhii giraanii-e-shab meN kamii nahiiN aa'ii, Najaat-e-diidaa-o-dil ki ghaRii nahiiN aa'ii; Chale-chalo ke vo manzil abhii nahiiN aa'ii   "Dawn of Freedom (August 1947) (Literal Translation)"   This stain-covered daybreak, this night-bitten dawn, This is not that dawn of which there was expectation; This is not that dawn with longing for which The friends set out, (convinced) that somewhere there we met with, In the desert of the sky, the final destination of the stars! Somewhere there would be the shore of the sluggish wave of night, Somewhere would go and halt the boat of the grief of pain.   By the mysterious highroads of youthful blood When (we) friends set out, how many hands were laid on our skirt's; >From impatient sleeping-chambers of the dwellings of beauty Arms kept crying out, bodies kept calling; But very dear was the passion for the face of dawn, Very close the robe of the sylphs of light. The longing was very buoyant, the weariness was very slight.   -- It is heard that the separation of darkness and light has been fully completed, It is heard that the union of goal and step has been fully completed; The manner of the people of suffering (leaders) has changed very much, Joy of union is lawful, anguish for separation forbidden.   The fire of the liver, the tumult of the eye, burning of the heart, -- There is no effect on any then of (this) cure for separation. Whence came that darling of a morning breeze, whither has it gone? The lamp beside the road has still got no clue     (edited) In the darkness of the night there is no lessening.    (edited) The hour of the deliverance of eye and heart has not arrived. Come, come on, for that goal has still not arrived.     "Interpretative translation of the Poem"   This leprous daybreak, dawn night's fangs have mangled -- This is not that long-looked-for break of day, Not that clear dawn in quest of which those comrades Set out, believing that in heaven's wide void Somewhere must be the stars' last halting-place, Somewhere the verge of night's slow-washing tide, Somewhere an anchorage for the ship of heartache.   When we set out, we friends, taking youth's secret Pathways, how many hands plucked at our sleeves! >From beauty's dwellings and their panting casements Soft arms invoked us, flesh cried out to us; But dearer was the lure of dawn's bright cheek, Closer her shimmering robe of fairy rays; Light-winged that longing, feather-light that toil.   But now, word goes, the birth of day from darkness Is finished, wandering feet stand at their goal; Our leaders' ways are altering, festive looks Are all the fashion, discontent reproved; -- And yet this physic still on unslaked eye Or heart fevered by severance works no cure. Where did that fine breeze, that the wayside lamp Has not once felt, blow from -- where has it fled? Night's heaviness is unlessened still, the hour Of mind and spirit's ransom has not struck; Let us go on, our goal is not reached yet. --- On Fri, 11/20/09, taraprakash wrote:  I wish people were as angry about child labour, corruption, discrimination on the basis of wealth, or lack thereof. Kya afrangi, kya tatari Aankh bachi aur barchi mari Kab tak janta ki bechani Kab tak janta ki bezari Kab tak sarmaye ke dhandhe Kab tak ye saramayadari? Badal bijali rain andhiyari Dukh ki mari parja sari Bacche burhe sab dukhiya hain Dukhiya nar hai dukhya nari Basti basti loot machi hai Sab baniye hain sab vyapari. From indersalim at gmail.com Tue Nov 24 17:50:52 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:50:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai In-Reply-To: <93DD236530A447668ED019BD069FD860@tara> References: <47e122a70911200704n177ca615x5dc9a6946119adaa@mail.gmail.com> <70A14775D17E48AA8B88C3D7A336FC61@tara> <47e122a70911230516g5d5b6fe3k1e6cd172617b1c06@mail.gmail.com> <93DD236530A447668ED019BD069FD860@tara> Message-ID: <47e122a70911240420t2080c717hc471d4d46e4446e2@mail.gmail.com> dear Tara is it too dark at the horizon? is it what we think? indeed "we lost natural to cultual and universal to personal". But what to do? The sufrace is too vast. I see, you and me, and all that: a mass of matter and thought which manifests the reality. but to see that even, do we have enough eyes. Quite opaque, but there must be someway out, to see, to penetrate the wall. Some will to be... True that there is hardly anything adequately structured to tell us what is happening all around, and to us, and how that will shape our future too. I beleive, most of it is predictable. That is how we can trace the source of our worries. The predictable is that we are likely to live with our respective little security belts, and with our cultural moorings the chances of restoring that lost 'natural' is bleak. Those universal values, now almost lost, which we nevertheless cherish, might have sustained us on the earth in a better way are increasingly becoming extinct. But what to do? How to live with the most emancipated thought without being part of the vast mundane. The 'other' is not 'hell', if we engage that with a lesser intellectual zeal. Since we dont know, perhaps, how our existential beings would respond to a particular crises, which is both personal and polticial. To repeat, WE REALLY DONT KNOW WHAT WE WANT, which i said earlier too, becomes theatrical almost, and needless too, since you and me know and dont know what it means, and yet we ought to repeat, repeat to taste the bitter, that time tested, perhaps only to realize that how dream like our realities are. So to realize the dream even, we need to live, to see how our doubts function. In many senses than one we are finally animals, say social animals, who do all kinds of things, including violence to justify living on earth. Our pursuits, in the past, haven perhaps led us to this juncture of dealing with the other at a vigrous pace, lest we might cause delay, furthering violence. By vigrous pace, i mean to slow down the pace of development even. To save nature, indeed we are without significant alternatives, so, see how difficult a task, for example, to stop people using cars etc. So with that, culture is lost too, and whatever is universal follows. But what is even? coming, to the point that u are not interested in Yasin, is really a respectable stand since that feeling emnated from your knowledge of our mistrust of the representative. Sheikh Abdullah repesentated but ditched at the right movement. Wait, perhaps, he was exhausted or pushed to give in to the STATE. Representatives are too limited on deliverance of issues , and grosslly incapable to deliever anything in the long run. The game of representation is thoroughly faulty, and applies to all, and hence we come to the question of what STATE is ? The state does not function differently, and any dissent is actually meant to strengthen the democratic ideals, but the Nation state can tolerate dissent upto a point only and thus limitng the democracy even. Kashmir issue or any other issue will become irrelevant because the entire humanity is pushed into a strange ' darkness' of our times. We live in a state which is inevitable STATE like. So, we can say there are radical elements in our society which are faulty in desgn. but how to grapple with the faulty design of the State. And if everything is alright, then what to do with the falty status quo? and if everything is lost, then what to do with the absences which are not silences even hope i convey regards and love inder salim On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 1:51 AM, taraprakash wrote: > Hello Inder. > For you the personal and political aspects of the problem may intersect at > the point when brittishers sold the land to maharaja, for some others it > begins with the concept of ownership of property. When the Man decided X > part as the land of the self and Y part as the land of the other. That > perhaps was the beginning of colonialism. This is when Nature started losing > to Culture and universal to personal. Our cousins/leaders/rulers seem to > have always embraced the personal when in the advantageous situations, and > universal in less favorable times. > You ask what is law. I believe you know that law is the instrument of > offering and justifying benefits to the people in power at a given time. > > I do sympathize with you again but I have no sympathies for Mr. Malik nor > with his cause. Forgive my cynicism in saying that India never became free, > nor shall Kashmir ever be. Kashmiri rich may be able to buy the land from > the Indian rich, only thing that apparently will change is who provides for > the chains. Human memory has become very short, 10, or may be 50 years, from > now I will have forgotten about your loss of your land. If at that time I > meet your cousin in a dismal situation, as his cousin sold "his" land, I > might again be sympathetic. That will look like "beginning of political," > but I don't think it should becalled beginning. > > Regards > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" > To: "taraprakash" > Cc: "reader-list" > Sent: Monday, November 23, 2009 8:16 AM > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai > > > Thanks dear Taraprakash for this wonderful and  profound reflection on > ' reality out there ' besides anger of Yasin which is only Kashmir > specific. > > Thanks for writing  "I am sorry for your plight  inder "  and i feel > connected. That is how we human beings connect each other. But, i know > few who commented on my personal land dispute, that it is between you > and my cousin,  and so they have nothing to comment, which means that > they maintain relationship with the my cousin ,  and   with me as > well. > > But there are some who bluntly said to my cousin that u have done > something grossly unethical. > > that is the layer one, but if we dont recongnize the dispute as > significant in the first place then the benefit of doubt goes to the > opressor, not only in my personal case, but  it applies to all the > conflicts, including Kashmir. So, that then comes about what is Law? > > To maintain a two square piece of land and call is our own is  not ' > baniyagree' but something very basic in the present situation. and > even in the past. > > if not, then do we need to re-define 'space' as and when we debate > social relationship in any given system. or we know what we own at our > personal level and also at national level, and also at world level. > The poet obviously own the entire cosmos, but s/he simultaneously uses > the sounds which are too earthy and have social values, withou which > the meaning of cosmos is lost even.  I should see the poet protesting > about the injustices committed by  those landlords who rendered > millions of people homless, and landless . The suffering beging from > indifference of this violence. Perhaps, these greedy cousins create > insecurities amongst masses, which might be the reason of wars even. > > True, i am not the exception to land dispute, but to feel  'sorry' > about ones plight is perhaps the > begining of the political. To feel sorry for someone being raped or > humilated or killed is also a very basic human emotion, which is not > far for depriviping somebody from basic rights. > > that is a true human emotion which i understand. The world of > appearances is not a shallow one, but deeper and profound at the same > time. True that metaphysical dimensions of reality are merged with > this wordly one. but can we seperate the two, since we are almost lost > in this maze of our  respective beings on this earth as social > animals, which is full of contradtions. i agree that there is > suffering and we are generally ' sorry ' for that. But that is much > better than indiffernce. > > And so, in the bitter reality of ours, we indeed feel that cousin > Yasin and cousin Manmohan singh , both you and me, and all the cousins > can sell each others lands without permission. Ah, what at practical > eye to look at things. > > So, then Britishers who sold the land to a maharaja without the > permission of J&K people were perhaps doing what was norm for rulers > to do. But what if the same becomes political now? > > hope i was able to convey > > regards > love > is > > > > On Fri, Nov 20, 2009 at 10:41 PM, taraprakash wrote: >> >> Cousin Yasin Malik is as likely to sell my land without my permission as >> cousin Manmohan Singh is. The latter is a distant cousin so my protest is >> likely to be louder and more vociferous if the latter sells my land. In >> that >> case scenario my closer cousin is also likely to join me in demonstrating >> anger. He didn't have personally to lose, but he lost the opportunity to >> gain. I am sorry for your plight Inder, but what happened is not really >> unusual; the problem is not exclusive for you or for the "valley". You, >> Mr. >> Malik and Mr. Thakuray are all justified in demonstrating their anger. >> >> Anger is a natural human emotion, it has to find its way in to you, if >> people don't have an issue, they can create one. If we don't lose our >> land, >> we lose our identity. Did you see a recent anger on an old song >> demonstrated >> by an organization that seems to have run out of issues? I wish people >> were >> as angry about child labour, corruption, discrimination on the basis of >> wealth, or lack thereof. Some fatvas, some trishools, some anger, to >> rectify >> these problems are so much needed. >> >> As about the distant and close cousins they often happen to be the rulers >> of >> our destiny: >> >> Kya afrangi, kya tatari >> Aankh bachi aur barchi mari >> Kab tak janta ki bechani >> Kab tak janta ki bezari >> Kab tak sarmaye ke dhandhe >> Kab tak ye saramayadari? >> >> Badal bijali rain andhiyari >> Dukh ki mari parja sari >> Bacche burhe sab dukhiya hain >> Dukhiya nar hai dukhya nari >> Basti basti loot machi hai >> Sab baniye hain sab vyapari. >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Inder Salim" >> To: "reader-list" >> Sent: Friday, November 20, 2009 10:04 AM >> Subject: [Reader-list] Yasin Malik Ko Gusa Kyoun Aatta Hai >> >> >>> Yasin Malik ko gusa kyoun aata hai? >>> >>> Recently, i managed a ' Biradari meeting ' (civil society meeting ) >>> in Jammu to settle my personal land dispute with my Ist cousin, who >>> sold my ancestral property ( home ) clendestinely in Kashmir. My >>> counsin, being too elderly, started with things alien to the core >>> dispute. Some personal attacks and lies which made me angry, and i >>> shouted in the middle of his opening presentation, which perhaps >>> ruined the chances of a just settlement. The case is still in the High >>> court, but 'out of court' settlement is difficult to arrive , because >>> he is now the beneficiary of our decadent' civil' legal procedures, >>> and even if settled in my favour, he has really very little to lose, >>> except to part away with the 1/2 share which is already mine. And why >>> he should he honour the ' biradari' , money after all matters. >>> >>> I regret that the meeting failed, not because i lost my cool, but >>> that i was optimistic about powers of ' biradiri'. Now, i should >>> either forget my rights, or throw stones at him. The pain in the ass >>> is that i cant forget my rights, and neither i can throw stones... >>> >>> only diplomats, lawayers, judges and other such high profile ranks are >>> trained to mask their emotions. Common man , often speak what they >>> feel is true, even loudly. Because, we live in the mundane reality of >>> our reality, which looks existential from most of the angles. And the >>> reality is contaminated, both literally and metaphorically. >>> >>> unfortunately the trend is diplomatically speading to other circles as >>> well, and the worst is that this so called cool mannerism falls in >>> the catagory of non-violence, and ah, the rest is violence! >>> Creative people, i guess, ought to deal with violence creatively. >>> Indeed, violence creates violence, and so catogorized, but who two >>> people do live in peace ? It is not a black and white game. >>> >>> Burning British garments was Gandhi's creative political move, which >>> has nothing to do with Violence or non-violence. Perhaps, Jinnah was >>> less creative and could not think beyond his master idea: Pakistan. >>> Some sense of humour could have changed the destiny of millions in >>> 1947, but alas. >>> >>> Given the fact that people can be defined beyond this violence >>> non-violence binary, which might give us the idea why we beleive in >>> civil societies, and for what, if not to undersand the anger of a >>> community or even an individual. To say, that a clean shaven politican >>> X is non-violent in comparison to a militant named Y is again our own >>> limitation to enter the maze of our society. Any society is >>> intrinsically made up of a mosaic of different realites, violence and >>> non-violence are just two colours in it. >>> >>> Stragely enough, we human beings proliferate on earth by being so >>> violent to each other in the first place, and simultaneously to the >>> nautre as well, and yet we keep on talking about the de-merits of >>> non-violence. Quite ironica, and if we think only about the explicit >>> forms of non-violence we are again doing some violence to the subject. >>> Non-violence is one of most profound subjects, because it often >>> begins with that ' know they self' thing, and then the other. And do >>> we have a formula to manifest ' the self' ? >>> >>> Since Mahabarata, we have zillions of cases related to land dispute, >>> and millions pending in our courts for the same reason. The violence >>> erupts from that sense of not being to own what our given complex >>> beings desire. It is true that we dont know what we actualy want, and >>> yet we have a reason to pick up a fight for protecting what we feel we >>> possess. >>> >>> Here, i may start writing on why Yasin Malik expressed anger about >>> 'Kashmir issue' in a recent ' civil' meeting at Delhi's Teen Murti. >>> But that is again a repetition of what we already know......given the >>> fact that 'Kahsmir issue' is now thoroughly internalized in the valley >>> minds; they feel it is personal. The violence of ' the past' has >>> perhaps made it happen like that. >>> >>> >>> with love >>> is >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> http://indersalim.livejournal.com >>> _________________________________________ >>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. >>> Critiques & Collaborations >>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with >>> subscribe in the subject header. >>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list >>> List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> >> >> > > > > -- > > http://indersalim.livejournal.com > -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Tue Nov 24 18:15:38 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:15:38 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Support poetry theatre performance by kids in Chennai, India Message-ID: http://fundacause.posterous.com/poetry-theatre-performance-by-kids-in-chennai >From "Sajani Ganapathy Murugan" Nov 22, 2009 Hi Chandni, This story is set in Chennai. Between 2005 Oct and March 2006, a series of poetry theatre workshops were implemented in a local Chennai school. The school prides itself on its reputation for fair-mindedness and honesty to their cause, to educate and enable young girls to grow into balanced, committed and successful women, happy to do whatever they choose to do, to their best of their ability. Rightly so, as their motto says, Age Quo D'Agis, do well all that you do. About 35 students from standards 3, 4 and 5 chose to attend the workshops and as we explored the world of poetry and verse, an honest interaction began to transpire, between all present. As the children learnt about poetry and how it often helps in creative expression, they began to see how sometimes poetry can help to say things differently. The poetry theatre workshop was planned to have a beginning, middle and an end. So having begun with the poetry it was time to take it forward. All communication is a combination of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking and therefore if the Poetry Theatre Workshop had a focus, it was to enable effective communication and present the possibilities of creative expression. Having done some listening and writing, it was time to start reading. The selected reading material was a book called The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, written in 1944 and published, I think, later that year. The book, written originally in French is a classic and most children love it, while some adults have been known to claim that the book is a bad attempt at fantasy or that it's too abstract. The children each got a copy of their own at a ridiculously discounted rate, thanks to a sensitive Indian edition publisher in New Delhi. While bookstores like Landmark had to be hounded for information on how the publisher could be contacted. The book was read together as a group with each child doing independent reading at home, at their own pace and fuelled by their own interest. The opportunities for communication were endless, the children brought their own perspective to the story that was much closer to the truth than many adults would like to acknowledge. It was altogether an enriching experience for everyone involved. This story has now reached its' middle, just like the Poetry Theatre Workshops had. It was now time for an effective ending, one that reflected all the work that is a Poetry Theatre Workshop. A script was written by the writer conducting the workshop and needless to say the script was inspired by the children, their reactions to the story, their perspective, some changes that they suggested to characters to make it more relevant to their context and quite naturally, the script was a play in verse. Poetry Theatre. The plan was to rehearse the script and present a performance to the rest of the school and their parents. But academics has a a way of taking over almost everything else, including sport, at a school level in a city. It's all about the tests and the marks and the study hours and keeping the children busy. So no more time could be made available for rehearsals and the project was scrapped without much further ado and no warning whatsoever. It is four years now and the children have grown, some of them will be teenagers soon and they still remember the script they began to rehearse. Since then the writer has tried many ruses to get the school to revive the project, but no such luck. Driven by the need to follow through on a commitment made to 35 children, the writer is adamant about having these 35 children be part of the first performance of the script they inspired. A script that would never have been, had they not been a part of it. The beginning of the story had the children that contributed to the script and the middle was the script itself. The end of the Poetry Theatre Workshop was when it would include the entire school, giving all students the choice to be a part of an aspect of theatre that they have an aptitude of interest in. To make it possible for these 35 children to be involved, the rehearsals and performance have to be in Chennai. Besides, the school may not provide their space, time or initiative and so there is a need to find a space for a Theatre Lab. Not to mention a sponsor. This summer an attempt was made to garner corporate sponsorship and found not many cared enough to commit. We did find a corporate player (to date we have not named names) in the education segment, who promised us the earth, moon and stars, made a note of our budget and promised to call us in two days. The President, Corporate Communication of a brand that's targetting children and young people was interested and committed to us. But in two days he was avoiding phone calls, mails, and text messages. So with that went the brand's chance to brand the lab as a project that can be implemented anywhere, would document the work in terms of a video cd and a published manual with instructions and tips to teachers and adults anywhere, to replicate the process. Besides the chance of turning the idea into an annual event for Children's Theatre in Chennai. The plan is once again in motion for the summer of 2010... Through the summer, children between 8 and 16 will work with musicians, dancers and artists, while young people between 17 and 21 will have the choice of working with sound and lighting experts, production professionals and the director to create a production that will be a community effort. The theme of the story is conservation, friendship, separation anxiety and emotional growth. The sets will be made entirely from recycled material. Is there any chance you may be able to help this project by finding it a sponsor who sees the opportunity in a project like this. It will certainly provide mileage, spread brand awareness, convert purchasers of the future and have an open into the homes of their target audience. But above all it needs to be a sponsor that does care enough about children to see that somewhere along the line, as a society and a community, we have sent sent out a message to 35 children that it's okay to quit and give up when things get complicated. This project needs all the help it can get and will be happy to say thank you with a stellar performance that will make the community proud. Love and Peace, Always, Sajani PS. People who'd like to know more about the project, feel free to mail me with your queries and feedback. Thanks again! Sajani From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Wed Nov 25 13:58:49 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:28:49 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091125092849.E467582B.E0DB68DC@192.168.0.3> 25 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org 1) Video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database --> Today, 25 November 2009---> "Art Reception" by Ulf Kristiansen (Norway) http://vad.nmartproject.net 2) Today, 25 November and yesterday, 24 November 2009 screenings of two CologneOFF V festival programs at TMG Gallery Guarda on Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda/Portugal 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 the screening on 25 Nov include videos by Nitin Das (India)- Ascan Breuer (Germany) - Marita Contreras (Peru) - Masha Yozefpolsky (Israel)- Anna Porzelt (Germany) Heidi Kumao (USA)- Les Riches Douaniers (France)- Soumendra Padhi (India) - Boris Sribar (Serbia) ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From mitoodas at gmail.com Wed Nov 25 14:23:59 2009 From: mitoodas at gmail.com (Mitoo Das) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:53:59 -1200 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Workshop by FAT at Sarai (Online Campaigns and Social Media for Nonprofits) Message-ID: <94a08acf0911250053l242c34ceu17c60617770c241d@mail.gmail.com> Workshop by FAT (Feminist Approach to Technology) Workshop on: Online Campaigns and Social Media for Nonprofits When: 21st to 23rd December, 2009 Where: Seminar Hall, Sarai- CSDS, 29 Rajpur Road, Civil Lines, Delhi -110054 Social media can be used as a powerful tool for social change. Maybe you already have a Facebook profile and may have even braved Twitter, but do you really understand how to use these tools effectively? We will walk you through planning your social media goals and will help you to measure the outcomes. Your objectives could be varied-- perhaps you wish to recruit new volunteers, energize existing supporters, inform donors or just market your cause. We will talk about ways to get there. OBJECTIVES OF THE WORKSHOP: This workshop is for women working in the development sector (associated with a non-profit organization or working individually). It will help them learn how to plan and execute online campaigns using social media and other online tools. CONTENT: Strategizing online campaigns Integrating online tools into communication and fundraising plans Website best practices, including synchronizing with social media outreach Best practices for a range of social media tools (Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, etc.) Other interactive tools, such as email blasts, discussion forums, fund raising widgets etc. Creating a social media strategy for organizations Learning how to use analytical tools to measure online results ALSO... Participants will receive hands-on practice Experienced activists will share their knowledge, including guest speaker Pramada Menon, prominent human rights activist from Delhi. APPLICATIONS SOLICITED FROM: Women working towards a social cause, whether associated with a non-profit organization or working individually. Applicants should have basic computer literacy. The workshop will be conducted in English. COSTS: Participants are expected to contribute Rs. 3000 towards the cost of the workshop. This will cover equipment, food and snacks, resource material and resource fee. Participants are expected to bring their own laptop. Outstation participants will have to arrange for their own stay and travel. ORGANIZERS: -Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT) FAT is a not-for-profit organization working towards empowering women through technology by enhancing women's awareness, interest and participation in technology. FAT also extends technical support and education to Women's Rights Organizations and other organizations led by women. Website: www.fat-net.org -Joint Leap Technologies (JLT) Joint Leap Technologies provides web strategy to nonprofits and businesses looking to make a difference. JLT specializes in web development and social media consulting. JLT and FAT together form a social hybrid, which means the majority of the profit is donated to FAT. Together, they work to help nonprofits expand their capacity through technology. Website: www.jointleaptech. NOTE: We thank Sarai-CSDS for letting us use the Seminar Hall for the workshop. REGISTRATION CLOSES ON: 7th December, 2009 HOW TO APPLY: Please fill the registration from here: http://fat-net.org/Registration_form_social_media_workshop.doc Payments will be accepted in the form of demand drafts payable to "Feminist Approach to Technology Society" for the amount of Rs. 3000. Both the form and the demand draft need to reach the address mentioned below on or before 7th December, 2009. ADDRESS: Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT) A 6/1, Ground Floor, Adhchini P.O: Malviya Nagar Near: Punjab National Bank, Sarvodaya Enclave New Delhi - 110017 Phone number: +91-11-46595829 -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From mitoodas at gmail.com Wed Nov 25 14:03:17 2009 From: mitoodas at gmail.com (Mitoo Das) Date: Tue, 24 Nov 2009 20:33:17 -1200 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Bangalore Screenwriting Workshop Message-ID: <94a08acf0911250033vfcdf3acyaf7e00f0dda4f34a@mail.gmail.com> An extensive workshop on screenwriting, the art of translating scripts to screen for all aspiring filmmakers and screenwriters. _____________________________________________________________________________________ Always had a story to tell? First of its kind in Bangalore, an opportunity to learn from some of the very talented contemporary filmmakers & screenwriters of Indian Cinema. Bringing to you Ruchi Narain, Devika Bhagat, Saurabh Shukla, Manish Gupta, Rajat Kapoor, Nagesh Kukunoor*, Dibakar Banerjee* and others. * Guest mentors are subject to change depending upon their dates ____________________________________________________________________________________ Dates: 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th & 21st of December 09. Venue: St. Joseph’s Boy’s High School, Museum Road, Bangalore -01 Time: 12 pm to 7 pm | Fee: 5500/- | Max No of Seats: 125 ___________________________________________________________________________________ REGISTRATIONS OPEN @ http://www.rabikiskuentertainment.com/BSW/BSW.html For more info & registration contact: info at rabikiskuentertainment.com -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Wed Nov 25 19:55:40 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:25:40 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] "Identity or insanity?" (on Fort Hood massacre and after) Message-ID: <145724.99232.qm@web57208.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Please read at:   http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/19-identity-or-insanity-hh-02   Identity or insanity? By Rafia Zakaria Wednesday, 25 Nov, 2009   ‘Sometimes an extremist is really an extremist’ was the title of a recent column written by Los Angeles Times columnist Jonah Goldberg this past week. The subject, unsurprisingly, was the ongoing investigation into the motives of Maj Hassan Nidal who shot and killed 13 people in Fort Hood, Texas.   In his piece, Mr Goldberg exhorts Americans to ‘admit it … Major Hassan is a Muslim fanatic, motivated by other Muslim fanatics’.   The debate over whether Major Nidal was plain crazy or a motivated scheming fanatic has escalated in the past few weeks with new discoveries of his contacts with Yemeni cleric Anwar Al Awlaki and the discovery of business cards in his apartment that described him as a ‘soldier of Allah’.   Conservative commentators like Charles Krauthammer of the From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Wed Nov 25 23:01:25 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:01:25 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Spring School on Mahabharata at IIAS, Shimla Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Vasudha Dhingra Date: Nov 25, 2009 9:14 PM Subject: [Opportunity884] Spring School on Mahabharata | IIAS, Shimla To: * INDIAN INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED STUDY Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla 171005 * ADVERTISEMENT NO 11/2009 * Announcing Spring School on Mahabharata * Applications are invited for the first Spring School on the Mahabharata at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla. The duration of the School will be from 14 April, 2010 to 28 April, 2010. It will consist of lectures by Philosophers, Historians, and Sanskritists followed by discussions among the participants on a set of pre-selected readings. The themes covered will include but will not be restricted to the following: modes of narration, the critical edition and its methodology, the central characters, the ideal life style, dharma and its transgressions, dissidence, non-violence and cruelty, the Gita and its modern interpretations. A detailed Concept Note can be found at the Institute’s web site at *www.iias.org*. At the end of the School, every participant will be required to submit a monograph on a relevant theme approved by the Coordinators. Applicants should be preferably in the age group of 25-40 and should hold a Masters Degree in any subject from Humanities or Social Sciences. Proficiency in Sanskrit is NOT essential. However, working knowledge of the language is desirable. Those interested are requested to send a one page write up on why they would like to attend the School, the level of their acquaintance with the Mahabharata, along with their CV. All expenses will be borne by the IIAS. Applications must reach IIAS by 15 December 2009. Those selected will be informed by 31 December 2009. Applications may be sent by email at *autumnschool at gmail.com* or by post at: * Spring School on Mahabharata * Indian Institute of Advanced Study Rashtrapati Nivas Shimla 171 005 From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Thu Nov 26 00:45:49 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:45:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] 2010 World Nomads Travel Writing Scholarship: Travel to Tokyo Message-ID: Details here: http://journals.worldnomads.com/scholarships/post/35985.aspx (Opportunity discovered on Avinandan Mukherjee's Facebook profile) From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Thu Nov 26 08:51:47 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:51:47 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Gift Circles Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: alplo Hey, I thought I'd share something we have been doing over here in Marin. We've been running these weekly gift circles out here. People come and share their needs in the group, others volunteer to help them out. People also write down on a piece of paper services they would like to offer as a gift - massage, carpentry, computer work, babysitting etc. They place this paper into the middle, and anyone else can pick it up and get that service. Its been going on for 6 weeks now, and people have been getting a lot of their needs met through these circles. I've been writing a blog that chronicles our adventures with this circle, logistical insights we have gained about running these circles, and philosophical insights on the economics of a gift economy. Check out the blog at www.opencollaboration.wordpress.com __._,_.___ Reply to sender | Reply to group Messages in this topic( 1) Recent Activity: - New Members 2 Visit Your Group Start a New Topic MARKETPLACE Going Green: Your Yahoo! Groups resource for green living ------------------------------ Parenting Zone: Find useful resources for a happy, healthy family and home [image: Yahoo! Groups] Switch to: Text-Only, Daily Digest• Unsubscribe • Terms of Use . __,_._,___ From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Thu Nov 26 13:40:27 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:10:27 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day?= Message-ID: <20091126091027.EC1D59A.C0C51807@192.168.0.2> 26 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org CologneOFF V - video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database Today--> "Cakesitter" by Valerie Garlick (USA) http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Thu Nov 26 21:08:00 2009 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:08:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Fwd: [Pragoti] Media reports and left's convention on food security and spiraling price rise. In-Reply-To: <473775.16596.qm@web55305.mail.re4.yahoo.com> References: <473775.16596.qm@web55305.mail.re4.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <78323d480911260738w4bc71d49u4aacb61035cdfb0d@mail.gmail.com> ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: roopesh praj Date: Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 5:28 PM Subject: [Pragoti] Media reports and left's convention on food security and spiraling price rise. To: pragoti at yahoogroups.com Yesterday, Nov 25, the left parties held a convention on food security and price rise in Bangalore with thousands of people marching in from all across Karnataka. Party leaders of CPI, CPM, Forward Bloc spoke in the occasion. The Hindu carried a report in some detail. TOI's Bangalore Mirror carried a report on how the convention affected the traffic in Bangalore. Usually the struggles taken by the left parties are being blacked out by newspapers like TOI. An exception was the coverage of the struggle taken out by the CPM in Tamil Nadu for temple entry rights for the dalits. I would like to discuss on a nonsense statement made by the Mirror reporter. The Hindu report: http://www.hindu.com/2009/11/26/stories/2009112660540400.htm Bangalore Mirror report: http://www.bangaloremirror.com/article/10/2009112620091126004211159307243f/Reds%E2%80%99-march-drives-city-red.html Mirror reporter has made a ridiculous allegation “After some time, the stretch from Majestic to KR Circle was covered with party workers, most of whom didn’t even know their purpose of visit”. This statement is pure manipulation, how the hell Mirror(TOI pub) reporter know that the party workers were unaware of the purpose of visit?. The march was for food security and against rising price rise, the issues are of no significance to the irritated techie* riding to his office or the irresponsible Mirror reporter. The march had thousands of very poor Kannadigas for whom newspapers like TOI, BM do not spare even quarter a page. Most of those marched were illiterate but knew what they were marching for. They are people yet to come out of the shocking blow that the recent flood forced upon them. They are people who are left with nothing, their property destroyed, their cattles drowned, don't have a house to stay, ration cards are for namesake, many are not even having ration cards for they are landless. They marched in shambled unclean clothes, after a long tiresome journey from faraway places. There were women, old, young, kids, students. Newspapers like Mirror, more precisely yellow newspapers like Mirror, might find it unpleasant to see shambled clothes marching in Cyber city's roads. Mirror's irresponsible reporter did not even care to know the issues those thousands of people were raising. They should atleast come to the next convention to hear from those thousands of poor people, to hear from them how they are living, what they are expected, how they are being fooled. They represent a large proportion of population who are not readers of yellow newspapers like TOI. But TOI should give atleast little regard to journalistic ethics, something that they are supposed to follow. Though it is an appeal, never expect TOI to give space to the grievances of the oppressed, for they have decided that their readers value snaps of bikini clad Britney Spears to the real issues Indian's are facing. Another factual error in Mirror report "With nearly 10,000 people marching under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)". It was not organised by CITU but by CPI, CPM, AIFB combine. *techie - mentioned in Mirror report Thanks Roopesh. ____________________________________________________ Subscribe To: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=369603 Visit: http://www.pragoti.org/ Post Message: pragoti at yahoogroups.com ____________________________________________________ -- A. Mani ASL, CLC,  AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Thu Nov 26 21:52:30 2009 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 21:52:30 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] currency scam and war Message-ID: <78323d480911260822r7cdaa4d6m9025707cbb1c445a@mail.gmail.com> See http://www.countercurrents.org/chang241109.htm It is well known that the US plutocracy has been swindling most other countries and their people. But will this necessarily lead to war? It does seem that people who matter can be easily brainwashed by the decadent media. Relatively sensible Governments in countries like Bolivia or Venezuela have tried something. But what should be done in India? Best A. Mani -- A. Mani ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From karthik.natarajan at gmail.com Thu Nov 26 22:05:01 2009 From: karthik.natarajan at gmail.com (Karthik Natarajan) Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:05:01 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] TEDx Ahmedabad Message-ID: http://tedxahmedabad.com/ In the spirit of Ideas worth Spreading, TEDx is a Program of Local, Self Organised events that bring people together to share a TED – like Experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks Video and Live Speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. Finally, welcome to TEDxAhmedabad. scheduled to happen on the 28th of November, in Ahmedabad and the theme for the event is Designing Management. Inspired by companies like Ideo and concepts like Design thinking, Design Management, Design Leadership, Design Strategy etc and the whole idea of how the world is changing but the change is missing out in our country, our very own state, even after having two of the countries best Professional Colleges in town, which could do a lot by engaging with each other and develop Design Management techniques and strategies. The idea / theme for TEDxAhmedabad came from the possibility of creating a collaboration between the National Institute of Design and the Indian Institute of Management and thus lead to better managed organisations, businesses, successful product launches and having better managed Brands coming out of our country. So that is the big Idea.. And we didn’t want to confuse the Audience by using big words and hence the theme is very simple to understand – Designing Management. -- karthik natarajan 0091 99232 27049 [using webmail] From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 00:33:43 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:33:43 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Peace Boat needs interpreters and English language teachers Message-ID: >From http://www.peaceboat.org/english/wtpb/index.html Peace Boat is a Japan-based international non-governmental and non-profit organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. We pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world. Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages. The ship creates a neutral, mobile space and enables people to engage across borders in dialogue and mutual cooperation at sea, and in the ports that we visit. Activities based on Japan and Northeast Asia are carried out from our eight Peace Centers in Japan. ** *For Interpreters* Peace Boat is currently recruiting English/Japanese and Spanish/Japanese interpreters for the 69th voyage departing Japan April 16, 2010 and returning July 25, 2010. These volunteers will act as a bridge for exchange between international guests onboard, local people in ports and Japanese speaking participants. Details here: http://www.peaceboat.org/english/gvld/inter.html *For English language teachers* GET, Peace Boat's language training programme, is now accepting applications for English language instructors for the 70th global voyage. http://www.peaceboat.org/english/gvld/teach_e.html http://www.peaceboat.org/english/pdf/Teacher%20Application%20Pack.pdf From chandni.parekh at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 13:14:09 2009 From: chandni.parekh at gmail.com (Chandni Parekh) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:14:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] A group on facebook for Indian Men against Dowry In-Reply-To: <508954.62020.qm@web94406.mail.in2.yahoo.com> References: <508954.62020.qm@web94406.mail.in2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: rita banerji <50millionmissing at gmail.com> Date: 2009/11/27 Subject: A group on facebook for Indian Men against Dowry Hi everyone, This group is only for open minded, change oriented men :) So join if you fit the group needs. Or pass it on to men you know who will. Dilip Muralidaran (email dilip.muralidaran at gmail.com) has started a facebook group called DAD (Dudes against dowry), a platform for Indian men who don't support the practise as well as the consequences -- dowry abuse, murders and female feticide and infanticide, to join in solidarity. It is essentially a show of hands from men and a place and platform to speak from as men. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=220755428101 - The 50 Million Missing Campaign - http://www.50millionmissing.in - http://gopetition.com/petitions/stop-female-genocide-in-india From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Fri Nov 27 16:55:04 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:25:04 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?-_27_November?= Message-ID: <20091127122504.8EB1C97A.99345B67@192.168.0.2> 27 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org CologneOFF V - video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database Today-->"Roghieh" by Alysse Stepanian (Iran) --> http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From nicheant at yahoo.co.uk Fri Nov 27 17:37:28 2009 From: nicheant at yahoo.co.uk (Nishant) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:07:28 +0000 (GMT) Subject: [Reader-list] On the Dubai Crisis: 'What is Dubai and who runs it?' Message-ID: <444868.20740.qm@web27908.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8382275.stm What is Dubai and who runs it? From the pinnacle of the world economic boom to the brink of bankruptcy, Christopher Davidson of Durham University explains some of the background to the glittering city in the desert. The inability of the government of Dubai to refinance the massive debts incurred by its largest state-owned company, Dubai World, has sent shockwaves throughout the world prompting many observers to ask not only how severe the economic crisis is, but also what exactly is Dubai and who is in control of it? Although frequently described as a city state or even as a country in its own right, Dubai is a constituent member of the federation of United Arab Emirates along with six other emirates. Only one of these, Abu Dhabi, possesses substantial oil reserves, and as such it has dominated most areas of federal politics - including foreign affairs and defence - since the UAE was formed following Britain's withdrawal from the Persian Gulf in 1971. Control Dubai, however, has always maintained an air of autonomy within the federation as a result of its long history as a successful free port. Put simply, everyone in the markets thought that, in the end, the federal government in Abu Dhabi would stand by all of Dubai's bad bets. Apparently, they won't. When the UAE constitution was drafted this relative independence was taken into account as each emirate was allowed to retain control over its own natural resources and economic development path. Gradually Dubai did allow itself to integrate more fully into the UAE, finally handing over its militia - the Dubai Defence Force - in 1996. But this move was interpreted at the time as a means of transferring costly services to the federal government so as to allow Dubai to pursue its economic ambitions. With little oil, Dubai's only hope of maintaining a distinct identity from Abu Dhabi was to diversify at a fast pace, building up various non-oil sectors such as luxury tourism and real estate. Overextended On paper it was succeeding, as by 2008 over 95% of its GDP was made up by such sectors. But with the onset of the credit crunch much of this success began to come undone as foreign direct investment and appetite for these activities faded. Dubai had also badly overextended itself with most of its mega projects - including giant manmade islands - being financed by large debts. With most of these needing to be refinanced in the near future, the emirate's government spent most of 2009 trying to attract international creditors but was largely unsuccessful. With Abu Dhabi providing some limited financial assistance, both in February 2009 and earlier this week, Dubai managed to keep afloat. But with Abu Dhabi's clear unwillingness to completely bail out Dubai, much attention has been placed on the relationship between the two emirates, especially since the recent default. If Abu Dhabi does not provide more help, then the government of Dubai will soon be bankrupt. Competition Although the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently told journalists to "shut up" and stop referring to Dubai and Abu Dhabi as being separate, and although the Al Maktoum family is of the same tribe as Abu Dhabi's ruling Al Nahyan family - the Bani Yas - the two dynasties nonetheless have a long history of rivalry. In 1833, Dubai broke away from Abu Dhabi and had to rely on British protection. Even in the 1940s, there was armed conflict between the two neighbours. More recently, there has been intense competition, including each establishing its own 'national airline' despite obvious overlaps. As such, further assistance from Abu Dhabi is far from guaranteed. Beyond the government and the ruling family there will also be a broader impact of the crisis in Dubai. Thousands of migrant workers, mostly from South Asia, are already stranded in the emirate, and there are likely to be more over the coming weeks as more companies cease their operations or face cutbacks. These men will have difficulty returning home. Similarly many other expatriates, some of them Westerners, will also lose their jobs, and the many foreigners who invested in the emirate's much vaunted real estate sector may see substantial losses on the properties they purchased as investments, retirement homes, or holiday villas. Christopher Davidson is the author of Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8382275.stm From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 19:05:15 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:05:15 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] The Nanubhai Teaching Fellowship: Applications Open for 2010 - 2011 Message-ID: >From http://www.nanubhai.org/index.php/getinvolved-teachingfellowship The Nanubhai Fellowship is a year long opportunity for passionate, motivated individuals interested in improving rural education and providing access to new opportunities for rural students. Fellows work with local teachers, teach English, and support our capacity building programs by working directly with the communities we serve. *Fellows are placed individually in our Gujarati partner schools to:* - Teach high school English classes to rural Indian students with a local co-teacher. - Develop the personal skill levels of their co-teachers in the subjects of English and computers following a “Model, Scaffold, Coach, Fade” model. - Instruct before and after school free Spoken English classes and Technology classes for the students and local teachers. - Support schools by developing school capacity through running teacher trainings, organizing professional development seminars and doing professional and community outreach. - Conduct original research within the schools and communities that we serve to develop and supplement new programming. Past projects include developing a mentoring program between high school and primary school students, creating and piloting an integrated Spoken-English and Technology curriculum and building up a 200+ book lending library at a partner school. Fellows live within the rural villages they serve, allowing them to get to know their students, their students' families and to be completely integrated with the community. *Applications are due at 5 pm EST on the 1st Friday of every month and will be reviewed in monthly groups. The first deadline is January 1, 2010.* BENEFITS: What we offer our fellows: - Airfare to and from India - Living stipend - Housing - Transportation to/from school (if necessary) - Meals - Cell phone - Internet access - Health insurance - Curriculum and training What we look for in a fellow: - Bachelor's Degree (M.Ed or Teaching Certificate preferred) - Classroom teaching experience (esp. English, ESL or Computer) - International experience - Demonstrated commitment to education of under-resourced students - Flexibility - Initiative, creativity, and passion Intangible benefits for fellows: - Development of management and planning skills - Cultivation of creativity and interpersonal skills by working in a different culture - Better understanding of global issues - Teaching experience gained in an inexpensive way which will also help you better understand your career path or future educational needs The Fellowship starts in early June of each year and runs until April of the following year. There are plenty of opportunities for travel within India to explore and widen your cultural horizons. For more information, e-mail apply at nanubhai.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or read about our current fellows' experiences at http://www.nanubhai-classrooms.blogspot.com. You can also visit one past fellow's experience at her blog: Cat in India: http://www.cat-in-india.blogspot.com We are currently accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year and will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 19:11:14 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:11:14 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] The Shortie Awards: Film Festival for Students aged 7-18 Message-ID: >From http://www.shortie.org/festival/ The Shortie Awards: Film & News Festival is the premiere film festival for students ages 7 to 18 and their teachers! Established in 2001, The Shortie Awards: Student Film and News Festival recognizes original digital media productions created by student filmmakers, ages 7-18, and their teachers. The Shortie Awards focuses on nurturing imagination and choice making in students. The Shortie Awards is part of MHz Networks' Education Department. The event grew out of the Department's EAT (Education Arts and Technology) program for young filmmakers in the Washington D.C. area and has since blossomed into a national and even international event, featuring submissions from all over the world. *Festival Information* *Entry Categories:* *Live Action:* Narrative, Documentary, Experimental, PSA, Music Video, or Other *Animation:* Stop-Motion, Claymation, Machinima, Digital, or Other *Daily News Program* *Age Categories:* 7-10, 11-14, 15-18, and K-12 Teacher. *Films may be no longer than 10 minutes - Fact or fiction.* *CALL FOR ENTRIES:* We are accepting entries for the 9th Annual Shortie Awards until April 9, 2010. From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 19:23:00 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:23:00 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Contribute to Encyclopaedia Indica Kids: Culture and Ecology project -- A National Folklore Support Centre project Message-ID: From http://wiki.encyclopaediaindica.com/~encyclo3/wiki/index.php?title=Inviting_contributions ... Hello, Greetings from the National Folklore Support Centre! We are glad to announce that we are now accepting contributions for the Encyclopaedia Indica Kids: Culture and Ecology project. Those with expertise and interest in the environment and the ways in which ecology generates cultural practices are welcome to write for this pioneering initiative to revitalize primary education and our engagement with our environment. The Encyclopaedia would examine and present scientific information and folklore surrounding plants and trees, animals, and birds found in India. The Encyclopaedia idea is drawn from the fact that each animal, plant, and bird thrives in a unique ecosystem. While the scientific information related this has been vastly documented and written about by ecologists, the cultural expressions relating to unique ecosystems have not been documented. By bringing these two disciplines together, the proposed encyclopaedia would make an innovative contribution to primary education. As it is to be organized for children, it will lend itself to the production of innumerable educational products such as games, rhymes, songs, and local practices as well. Contributors would have to put together entries on the folklore surrounding a particular species – including and not limited to use in rituals or folk remedies, role in myth, beliefs, totems or taboos, folk tales or folk toys. Those who are interested in writing for this project are welcome to contact the National Folklore Support Centre at this email id - info at indianfolklore.org . You can also write to the address below. You can find instructions for contributors and an introduction to the project here http://wiki.encyclopaediaindica.com/~encyclo3/wiki/images/7/7f/Guidelines_for_Authors.pdf Please do pass this message on to anyone you feel might be able to contribute. Do follow the links from our homepage, www.indianfolklore.org, for more information on this project and other NFSC initiatives. Regards, Malarvizhi.J Managing Editor Encyclopaedia Indica Kids: Culture and Ecology National Folklore Support Centre, No.508, Fifth Floor, "Kaveri Complex", 96, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai- 600034 www.indianfolklore.org From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 19:29:49 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:29:49 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Tibet: Voices in Exile - Inviting Essays and Poems by Tibetans Message-ID: >From http://www.furhhdl.org/retibet-voices+in+exile *THE FOUNDATION FOR UNIVERSAL RESPONSIBILITY* *of His Holiness The Dalai Lama* *invites contributions for a book * *TIBET: VOICES IN EXILE * *to be published by a major international publisher* We are looking for personal narratives and perspectives from Tibetans in exile in India and overseas. These could cover any concern, issue, reflection, memory or dreams exploring experiences, or predicaments that are personal, social or political. Authors can explore the past, the present or the future – both personal experiences in exile, of the Tibet left behind or the Tibet that might be, in the future. The canvas is wide open. We are not looking for theoretical, academic pieces, rather those that reflect felt experiences and passions. We believe this has the potential to evolve into a major document both for the Tibetan cause and for history. We are more interested in the sensitivity and nuances of the ideas, the richness of the content, rather than quality of the language or prose. All pieces selected for publication will be edited for clarity, if necessary, but will try and retain the texture of the authors writing. We encourage contributions across different age groups, from school children to senior citizens, private citizens to those who have served the Tibetan Government or community. Contributions will need to be in the form of essays in ENGLISH (of approx 2000 to 2500 words). We will also welcome poetry. All contributors whose pieces are selected for publication will be paid a one time royalty. This will be a minimum of Rs 5000/- for prose and Rs 1000 per poem. We are now specifically looking for contributions on following topics: - More experiences from women: college, school, work & marriage as exiles - Stories about working life in India or abroad/ or vocations taken up by youth - Positive stories of life in India - Friendship/ intermarriages - What is the religion/ practice of the youth - College life for refugees/ positive stories - Story of some who have studied in India and settled abroad (US, Switzerland) Contributions must now reach us by December 15th 2009 by email preferably as an attachment in word format or by mail – both hard and soft copies including contact details (email, mobile & phone numbers). *Submit your essay / poem to TIBET: Voices in Exile, Foundation for Universal Responsibility, Core 4 A, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi - 110003. Tel: 24648450 Extn: 102 Email: furhhdl at furhhdl.org * From ravikant at sarai.net Sat Nov 28 15:07:26 2009 From: ravikant at sarai.net (ravikant) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:07:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] virginia online article on Mumbai massacre. Message-ID: <4B10EF56.9000505@sarai.net> http://www.vqronline.org/webexclusive/2009/11/19/motlagh-mumbai-attacks/ Above is the direct link to a series of four informative articles on the Mumbai massacre. 2008. Shukriya Prof CM Naim for sharing this. ravikant From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Sat Nov 28 15:16:55 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:46:55 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?-_28_November?= Message-ID: <20091128104655.8B6FE784.D0B81999@192.168.0.2> 28 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org CologneOFF V - video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database Today-->"The Great Identity Swindle"" by Nikesh Shukla (UK) --> http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 28 17:39:54 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:39:54 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Vacancy: IUCN Programme Officer, Regional Protected Areas Programme .- Bangkok Thailand Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Archi Rastogi May be of interest. Archi -- Archi Rastogi Department of Natural Resource Sciences Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences McGill University ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Date: Fri, Nov 27, 2009 at 5:59 AM Subject: Vacancy Announcement: IUCN Programme Officer, Regional Protected Areas Programme .- Bangkok Thailand To: archirastogi at gmail.com *VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS* IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature is a world leader in developing knowledge & understanding for effective conservation action. A unique worldwide partnership, IUCN brings together states, government agencies & NGO members, & some 10,000 scientists & experts from 181 countries in a global web of networks to provide forums for dialogue & action in the quest for sustainable development. *Our mission: “To influence, encourage & assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity & diversity of nature & to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable & ecologically sustainable.”* Programme Officer, Regional Protected Areas Programme This position is part of the Regional Protected Areas Programme team which operates within the Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group 1 in IUCN’s Asia Regional Office based in Bangkok and reports directly to the Coordinator of Regional Protected Areas Programme. IUCN Asia’s Ecosystems and Livelihoods Group contains a number of Regional Thematic Programmes and aims to simultaneously improve ecosystem health and human well-being through better knowledge, capacity and governance. This position is a new role and key member of the regional thematic programme providing deputizing support to the Coordinator, RPAP in delivering the technical program of IUCN at the regional level in Asia. The purpose of the Regional Protected Areas Programme (RPAP) is to strengthen capacity for protected areas establishment and management in the Asia region by enhancing the knowledge, skills and competence of managers, planners and decision-makers. The approach is to generate, integrate, and disseminate information and knowledge on the most appropriate responses to emerging protected areas issues in the region, build capacity among individuals and institutions to plan and manage protected areas most effectively in collaboration with all major stakeholders, and to improve laws, policies and institutions for the conservation and sustainable and equitable use of protected areas resources. The RPAP places major emphasis on ensuring protected area practices are integrated within the physical and the socio-political landscape so that balanced conservation and livelihood outcomes can be achieved. *The main responsibilities of this position are;* The position will focus on supporting implementation of a range of projects within RPAP’s current project portfolio as well as working with the RPAP Coordinator to develop new programme opportunities across the Asian Region within the framework of the results identified within IUCN Asia’s Intersessional Programme 2009- 2012. Further the position will contribute toward the strategic growth of the RPAP to improve IUCN’s delivery of technical support on the protected areas. More specific duties and responsibilities: 1 1. Implement and manage selected protected area projects in partnership with Governments or other organizations. In particular provide senior support to the implementation of the following projects: - Enhancing the Quality of Protected Area Data - developing and field testing an expert review process to improve data in the World Database on Protected Areas in Asia. - Protected Areas Master Plan for Thailand – helping Thailand develop a more strategic, planned approach to national protected areas. - Evaluating and Improving the Management Effectiveness of Thailand’s Marine and Coastal Protected Areas - Mangroves for the Future. - ASEAN Protected Areas Learning Network pilot in Indonesia – creating a community of practice for protected area practioners in Indonesia. 2. Assist in the development of protected area project concepts and proposals (in consultation with the Coordinator RPAP) and negotiate with bilateral and multilateral donor agencies for funding. 3. Deputize the Coordinator, RPAP in managing programmatic aspects of the Regional Protected Areas Programme including support to the development of the IUCN Global Protected Areas Program and the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA). 4. Supporting the Coordinator, RPAP in developing and administering the work plans, budgets, internal agreements, contracts, financial resources, and project development pipeline of the RPAP and ensure the timely delivery of physical and financial progress reports. 5. Providing protected areas related advice to the Coordinator RPAP and other IUCN Asia staff, IUCN members, partners and Commission members (notably WCPA), as required. 6. Supporting the Coordinator, RPAP in building relationships for IUCN with key actors in government, donor and civil society sectors including representatives of Asian governments, Asian civil society networks, international financial institutions, international science organizations, and relevant industry groups. 7. Participating in joint planning, assessment and communication activities of ELG. 8. Representing IUCN as requested in local, national, regional and international fora. Qualifications and skills required: - At least 5 years relevant professional experience in a protected areas related field - A degree in a discipline relevant to natural resources and/or protected area management. Higher post graduate qualifications would be an asset - Ability to analyse and strategically manage complex issues • Proven capacity to manage complex projects - Proven ability to work with diverse stakeholders and partners in multicultural settings - Ability to work under pressure with limited supervision and to deal tactfully with sensitive political issues - Fluency in English with an excellent command of written English. Additional Asian language ability would be an advantage - Willingness to undertake frequent travel within Asia and outside - Computer literacy - Knowledge and work experience in Asia would be an advantage - Familiarity with the management procedures of IUCN is an asset Duty station: The position will be based in the IUCN Asia Regional Office in Bangkok, Thailand. The position is for a period of one year with the possibility of extension. This position is classified as P1 in our classification system and basic monthly salary of between USD 1,844 and USD 2,305 depending on the years of experience and qualifications of the candidate with a comprehensive health & life insurance and other benefits. Interested candidates should send their applications and CV along with the names of two referees by 11 December 2009 to: Regional Human Resources Unit IUCN, International Union of Conservation of Nature Asia Regional Office, # 63 Sukhumvit Soi 39, 10110, Bangkok, Thailand Tel: +662 662 4029 Ext. 118; Fax: +662 662 4389; email: asiarecruitment24 at iucnt.org url: http://www.iucn.org From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sat Nov 28 21:43:29 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sat, 28 Nov 2009 21:43:29 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Join ADAPT Solidarity Rally on International Day of the Disabled, Dec 3, Mumbai Message-ID: ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: melinda warty melinda.warty at gmail.com Dear Chintan Here is the Solidarity Rally invite. Pass it on to people you think would be interested. Mel. -- On 3rd December 2009, we are celebrating The International Day of the Disabled with a Solidarity Rally in Mumbai. As we celebrate inclusion and success of persons with disabilities and their families, we would very much like you to join hands with us on this special day. We flag the Solidarity Rally at 4:00 p.m. at Kala Ghoda (opposite to Max Mueller Bhavan) and proceed to Mahatma Gandhi Udayan (next to LIC building, Nariman Point), where we will assemble at 5:00 p.m. to share stories of success, achievements, struggle and courage of persons with disabilities and their families through speeches, songs and dance performances by able and disabled persons. We are expecting participation from disabled activists, parents, schools, colleges, opinion makers, government and non-government officials, and the media, print and electronic. Your presence will make us feel we are not alone in the struggle to be heard and will express your solidarity for the cause. We look forward to your confirmation. Yours truly, Padmashri Mithu Alur, Ph.D. Founder Chairperson ADAPT (formerly The Spastics Society of India) Member Central Advisory Board for Education (CABE),New Delhi Member , Executive Committee, National Mission of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan,New Delhi Best Regards. -- Melinda Warty Placement Co-ordinator National Job Development Centre ADAPT Off Sion- Trombay Road, Near Diamond Garden, Behind St. Gregorios High School, Chembur, Mumbai - 400 071. Contact No: 25209413 25201286. Website: www.adaptssi.org From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 01:50:42 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:50:42 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Teens in jail write poetry that heals Message-ID: From http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/learn-as-you-go/healing-power-of-prison-poetry Healing Power of Prison Poetry Writers help teens in jail learn to express difficult truths by putting pencil to paper. On a brisk September morning I wait in a dormitory (read: cell block) at King County Juvenile Detention in Seattle as a volunteer ushers in a group of five boys (read: inmates). The young men—three black, a Latino, and a white—have all weathered storms that I can scarcely fathom: born with drugs in their infant bodies, or abandoned by both parents, or traumatized by watching friends gunned down before their eyes. As they come into the room, they strike a balance between obedience and resistance: hands behind their backs, smirks on their faces. Seeing their peach-fuzzed cheeks, absurd haircuts, and guarded gazes returns me forcefully to my own high school days, which took place less than a mile east of here. I know that many of these prisoners were up to mischief no worse than I got into myself: graffiti, smoking pot, chronic truancy. One of my mother’s favorite phrases, there but for the grace of God go I, keeps cycling through my head, but I correct it: There but for the color of my skin, the support of my family, the promise of higher education, there but for all of my invisible privilege, go I. I had an advantage beyond these things, though—the written word. I started scrawling the first terrible lines of my own poetry at age 13 and found relief from the life events that haunted me, whether simple drama (breakups) or real tragedy (the mental illness of my best friend). So I’m honored to be here among other volunteers as a member of the Pongo Publishing Teen Writing Project , which assists distressed youths in trading self-destructive and anti-social behaviors for poetic self-expression. I’ve been here three times before: once for a stern orientation and twice for a sort of acclimation, during which the other volunteers and I huddled in unused dormitories to write our own poetry, an activity intended to help us identify with the kids and sensitize us to the struggle for creativity in a penal landscape. Parades of jump-suited kids filed past, casting aloof glances at us as if we were very lost tourists. Today, a kid with a well-kept Afro spots me, grins, and saunters to my table. I am supposed to invite him to open his heart on my very blank pad of paper. I breathe deeply, shake his hand, and present my spiel. “So, as Adrienne probably told you, we come in here because we believe that young people who have been through hard stuff have important things to say. We think the most important element of good writing is that it comes from the heart.” Maxwell raises plucked eyebrows and nods at the first page in a stack of prompts. I slide the exercise, “I Am,” and a dulled pencil in front of him. Ten minutes later, he pushes it back, and his eyes are different, brighter. This is Maxwell’s first time writing with Pongo, but it won’t be his last; he employs his rapper’s talent to speak from his heart. *I Am Who I Am* *Today I’m focused like a lens on a camera* *Yesterday I was hard-headed like a hard-head on a hammer* *On the street I’m so serious they call me Lil SB (Strictly Bizness)* *In my room I’m like a failing quiz, you shouldn’t test me* *To my mom I’m a little square like a rectangle* *To my dad I’m a ghost, I can disappear like Chris Angel* *My friends think I’m mean like the wicked witch of the west* *Really I’m cool with something big pumping in my chest* The Pongo Publishing Teen Writing Project was founded in 1992 by a writer named Richard Gold. Gold had spent years teaching poetry at a San Francisco school for special-needs kids, where most of the youths were also patients at a psychiatric clinic. He observed that writing poetry could disarm traumatized and troubled kids’ natural hesitancy and help them learn the ability and value of self-expression. Pongo’s writing sessions give youth a chance to express often-difficult truths. The program’s small press turns those expressions into anthologies, presenting the teens’ voices to the world in a format that conveys respect and dignity. Since 2000, Pongo has worked with more than 4,000 teens in youth prisons, homeless centers, and the two mainstays of the Pongo program: a children’s psychiatric hospital in Lakewood, Washington, and the 9-year-old program at King County Detention. Pongo has published 12 volumes of teen poetry, 12,000 copies of which have been distributed to distressed youths, libraries, judges, schools, and social service agencies. Between 2005 and 2008, Pongo surveyed nearly 300 of the kids who participated in the project. One-third of Pongo youths had never or hardly written before; 100 percent enjoyed writing; 66 percent wrote about issues they normally wouldn’t talk about; 80 percent felt better from their writing; and 96 percent claimed they would write more in the future. Pongo takes kids who have been left out of the educational system at every step and draws them into learning and expression. In the year that I’ve worked with Pongo, I’ve watched these kids open up through writing. Every Tuesday between September and April, the other volunteers and I were allowed to enter a raucous classroom in Detention’s public school program to make our upbeat pitch, “Who wants to come write poetry?!” Plastic chairs bucked into odd configurations as the kids leaned back. Some heckled. Many crossed their arms: There were the skinny appendages of a precocious addict or the thick, tattooed ones of a Deuce-8 gang leader. Some days their cool aversion was contagious. Other days more students raised their hands than we could handle. Regardless of their initial level of enthusiasm, once each kid sat down at a table across from a Pongo volunteer, heard that the only determinant of “good” poetry for us was honesty, and started writing, he was captivated. In the vast majority of cases Pongo volunteers are the first to invite a kid to speak about his struggles with the motive of honoring them instead of analyzing them, and on some level each kid realizes that. Pivotal life events that may never come up in counseling sessions sometimes emerge in Pongo poetry. Freed from the judgment of their peers and the interrogations of psychologists, however benevolent, students get immersed in the natural high that comes when you abandon the bravado, bluffing, and bullshit and start finding truth and color from within. Pongo is only a small part of these kids’ weekly education. In Detention, the public schools literally have a captive audience. But the disparity between what happens in class and the lives of the kids could hardly be wider. Algebra and grammar rules are often the last things on their minds. John, for example, with wild eyes and a honeyed voice, has never learned to write decently because he’s been booted out of every high school he’s attended. Jeremy squeezes his pencil so hard his knuckles whiten as he recounts the lesson he’s taken from his best friend’s murder: “That I’d better worry ’bout the bullet coming for me—fuck homework.” The bulldog-shaped, quick-to-tears Terry is too busy trying to “breathe right” and manage his anger to pay attention in class. Why should these kids place education above the gang allegiance that keeps them alive on the street or provides them the family they’ve never had? Why should teens that suffer from PTSD due to repeated rapes or a friend’s killing embrace the challenge of a textbook instead of the relief of a pipe? This is the terrain on which Pongo operates—the writing is not just another classroom exercise. The poetry allows these young people to practice self-expression and talk about their experiences in a safe place. Pongo invites them to exchange shame for candor, to witness their truths on the page, to look at their circumstances analytically, and to honor the strength that’s enabled them to survive hardship. And perhaps most importantly, Pongo’s youths learn to use writing to deal with their memories, rage, sorrow, and trauma, instead of turning to gangs, prostitution, and drug abuse. It’s tragic that these kids had to land in a detention center to receive an education in honest self-expression. But the kids who walk out of Pongo gain a new faith, however nascent, in the power of their own voice, and may be less likely to return to a place like this. At the end of every Pongo afternoon, we deliver four freshly typed copies of each poem back to its author. This always happens at shift-change hour, when all the kids are locked down in their cells. So as we walk the worn linoleum corridors, past the circular control posts manned by deadpan guards, our footfalls echo. We can’t even hear the voices of the kids until we enter the dormitory, and then they are muted behind tons of steel and cinderblock. But when we slide their poems beneath the door of their cells and bump fists through the Plexiglass window, their smiles are plain to see. ------------------------------ [image: Eli-Hastings.jpg]Eli Hastings wrote this article for *Learn as You Go*, the Fall 2009 issue of YES! Magazine. Eli teaches creative writing in nontraditional contexts. He is author of the memoir Falling Room (Bison Books, 2006). His writing has appeared in more than a dozen literary journals. From anoopkheri at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 02:02:34 2009 From: anoopkheri at gmail.com (anoop kumar) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:02:34 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold Message-ID: *From **http://blog.insightyv.com/* * * *Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali BhadralokThe story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold By Nilesh Kumar, Ajay Hela, Anoop Kumar [Nilesh and Ajay are pursuing their Masters in Social work, TISS, Mumbai] Exactly 30 years ago, Dalits, in West Bengal, came to realize the true nature of Indian state that is being dominated, in every sense, by a tiny section of population but at a great personal cost. It was in 1979, when thousands of Dalits, refugees from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) lost their lives at Marichjhapi, in Sunderbans, for their dream of resettling in the region which they considered part of their motherland. Marichjhapi is just once incident in the tragic tale of one of the most powerful Dalit Community-Namashudras of Bengal - who first became the victim of Hindu-Muslim communalism during the partition and later became the victims of their castes in independent India. Moreover, the complete silence of Bengal’s civil society for almost 30 years and the fact that Dalits were killed by Communist government of West Bengal that came in the power in the name of poor and dispossessed, raises some serious questions about representation of Dalits in every sphere, the constitution of civil society and hegemony of few privileged castes over the political power in Independent India. Apart from these, the Namashudra problem also poses a big question for the Dalits (and Dalit movement) living in other parts of the country about whether they are willing to fight for the rights of their fellow community people who, unfortunately, paid the ultimate price for sending Babasaheb Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. Before Marichjhapi In 1946, Constituent Assembly was constituted with the mandate to frame Indian constitution and to function as provisional parliament for independent India. Its members were elected by state assemblies and represented almost all major communities of the country. However, the Congress government in Bombay province, headed by B.G. Kher and under instructions from Sardar Patel, ensured that Babasaheb Ambedkar was not elected. At this crucial juncture, a very prominent leader Jogendra Nath Mandal ensured his election from the Bengal province. Thus Babasaheb could enter into the constituent assembly and, later, become prime architect of Indian Constitution that guaranteed many rights for the Dalits including representation in education and government jobs. Who was Jogendra Nath Mandal? How could Babasaheb enter into Constituent Assembly from Bengal being ambushed by Congress in Bombay province and declared persona non grata due to his exposure of Gandhi and Congress as upholder of ‘upper’ caste Hindu domination? He could enter at the strength of the then untouchable community called Namashudras and Jogendra Nath Mandal was one of the prominent Namashudra leaders of Bengal. Namashudras were largely an agrarian community well-known for its hardworking nature, agricultural and artisan skills. It was one of the biggest communities of Bengal, with majority of its population based in east part of undivided Bengal (now Bangladesh) with a long tradition of resisting caste-hindu domination and fighting against untouchability practices and other ignominies thrust on them by the caste system. The Namashudra movement had been one of the most politically mobilized untouchable’s movements in colonial India that, even before Dr Ambedkar, had rejected Congress leadership for upholding the interests of landowning ‘upper’ castes under the ruse of Indian nationalism. The complete monopoly of rich Bengali Bhadraloks (a land owning class of people belonging to three Hindu ‘upper’ castes – brahmins, kayasthas and vaidyas) on congress leadership validated their severe indictment of the policies of the Congress. Even prior to congress, the Namashudras were the only voice of resistance to much touted Bengal ‘renaissance’ that, in all practical terms, were efforts of ‘upper’ caste hindus to consolidate themselves and aggressively bargain with British colonial government to restrict the benefits of British built institutions like that of education, judiciary, bureaucracy and local governance for themselves. The success of the Namashudra Movement could be easily measured by the autonomous political space which they were able to chalk out for themselves in Bengal politics and in alliance with Muslims had kept the Bengal Congress Party in opposition from the 1920s. At the strength of this political space only they could get Babasaheb elected to the Constituent Assembly. This exclusion of ‘upper’ caste Hindus from power in Bengal led Hindu elite and eventually the Congress Party pressing for partition of the province at independence, so that at least the western half would return to their control. So successful they have been in their design that West Bengal is probably the only state in the country where ‘upper’ caste hegemony went completely unchallenged in independent India till today. It is clearly manifested in every sphere of life there and one hardly comes across any murmur of Dalit assertion ever. One of the best indicators of ‘upper’ caste Hindu domination over West Bengal would be the number of Cabinet positions enjoyed by them in the successive state governments - the tiny tri-caste Bengali elite (consisting of brahmins, kayasthas and vaidyas) increased its Cabinet composition from 78 percent under the Congress regime (1952-62) to 90 percent under the Communist regime indicating their complete domination over West Bengal. How this was achieved? What happened to the once powerful Namashudra community that resisted the ‘upper’ caste hegemony in pre-independent India? The Plight of Namashudras in post Independent India Marichjhapi is one of the small islands lying within the Sundarbans area of West Bengal. It was here, in 1979, that thousands of Dalits were killed by the communist led West Bengal government. Hundreds were killed directly in police firings but many more died of starvation, lack of drinking water and diseases due to the economic blockade that was imposed on them by the state government and carried out by the police and communist cadres together. Their settlements in Marichjhapi were completely bulldozed, destroyed and hundreds of women raped leaving behind only the dead bodies of the Dalits to be either dumped in the water bodies or to be eaten by the beasts of nearby jungles in one of the biggest genocide carried out by any state in independent India. The people who survived were driven out of West Bengal to continue living with the tragic memories of their lost loved ones and perpetual longing for the soil that once constituted parts of their motherland. What happened at Marichjhapi is just one incident in the long tragic history of this particular Bengali Dalit community that started with the partition of the country and is continued till today. They have been living in their own country as second grade citizens, being forcefully scattered throughout the country. These helpless victims belonged to a Dalit community called Namashudras and were refugees from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) who were dispatched to different parts of the country by the state government citing the lack of space in West Bengal but took no time and least efforts to provide maximum possible relief and rehabilitation to the ‘upper’ caste refugees. Apart from this, these refugees illegally occupied large areas in and around Kolkata and other major cities of Bengal and got it regularized but when it came to Dalit refugees, the then Congress Chief Minister B.C. Roy wrote to Prime Minister Nehru that ‘we have no place for them, send them to other states’. Then these Dalit refugees, despite their vociferous protests, were dispatched to inhospitable and far flung areas of states like Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Assam to live in completely alien environment. They were driven down to these places packed in government vehicles as cattle, under strict police supervision. Later many of their settlements in different states, like Mana camp in Orissa, were turned into concentration camps as government employed the services of Indian army to guard the camps for 12 long years, lest these people would escape to West Bengal. Marichjhapi massacre of Dalit refugees by Left government in Bengal is just one incident. Even before Marichjhapi there were numerous incidents where many Namashudra refugees got killed by police while demanding for better provisions in the camps where they were being forcefully kept. Apart from being persecuted by the state, the Namashudras, settled outside West Bengal, also suffered enormously from various other factors. They continuously faced hostility of local populace that strongly resented the presence of outsiders in their surroundings. Most of the camps were in the areas that were not fit for agriculture and being primarily an agrarian community, totally different type of climates and soil conditions made them handicap. Also even the reservation provisions for which, as Dalits, they would have been eligible in West Bengal, were not recognized in the states in which they were settled, as their castes were not native to those states. Despite all the difficulties, Namashudra refugees settled in different states kept their dream alive of returning back to the environment/culture/land that they belong to. The Great Communist Betrayal During this period, in late 1960s and till mid-70s, the Bengali communists led by CPI (M), which was in opposition then, took up the case of these refugees and demanded the government to settle them within their native Bengal rather than scatter them across India on the lands of other peoples. The communist, again its leadership monopolized by ‘upper’ caste, started raising their voices in the support of Dalit refugees and promised to provide them rehabilitation in West Bengal. The sites they mentioned in West Bengal for resettlement were either the Sundarbans area of the Ganges delta or vacant land scattered in various places throughout the state. The party leaders went around various Dalit camps campaigning for their return to West Bengal, simultaneously promising full support after coming in power. Particularly one, Mr. Ram Chatterjee, who later became minister in the CPI (M) led government, exhorted the Dalit refugees by thundering, “The 5 crore Bengalis by raising their 10 crore hands are welcoming you back.” In 1977, when the Left Front came to power, they found that the Dalit refugees had taken them at their words having disposed off whatever their meager belongings were and have marched towards West Bengal. In all, 1, 50,000 refugees arrived from Dandakaranya region of what is now Chhattisgarh expecting the communists to honour their words. Instead the Left Front government started sending them back forcibly citing the lack of space in the state – the same reason that was cited earlier when the Dalits arrived from East Bengal during the partition. It was a rude shock for the refugees who were depending on the newly elected Left Front government. When they opposed this, Dalit refugees were brutally evicted from various railway stations, being fired upon by the West Bengal police and were denied food and water. Still many refugees managed to escape and reached Marichjhapi, an island that lies in the northern part of the Sunderbans. Thousands of other Dalit refugees also marched to Marichjhapi on feet along the railway tracks, avoiding the police. By the end of the year 1978, there were 30,000 Dalit refugees in the island of Marichjhapi who rapidly established it as one of the best-developed islands of the Sundarbans. Within a few months tube-wells had been dug, a viable fishing industry, saltpans, dispensaries and schools were established. In short, in just few months, the hard working Namashudras built a thriving local economy without any government support in the region that is considered the poorest in West Bengal. Deeply humiliated by the successful resettlement of Namashudra refugees in Marichjhapi, the Left Front government started their propaganda against them by stating that the ‘Marichjhapi is a part of the Sundarbans government reserve forest’ and therefore Dalit refugees were ‘violating the Forest Acts and thereby disturbing the existing and potential forest wealth and also creating ecological imbalance’. This was a blatant lie as Marichjhapi did not fall under government reserve forest at all. The Bengali Bhadralok leadership of Left Front had to resort to such lies and take up environmental concerns as an excuse as the Marichjhapi exposed their earlier lie too regarding ‘lack of space in West Bengal’. The West Bengal government launched a full frontal assault on the Marichjhapi and the Dalit refugees. It started with the economic blockade. The police cordoned off the whole island, cutting every communication links with the outside world. Thirty police launches encircled the island thereby depriving the settlers of food and water; they were also tear-gassed, their huts razed, their boats sunk, their fisheries and tube-wells destroyed, and those who tried to cross the river were shot at. Several hundred men, women and children were believed to have died during that time and their bodies thrown in the river. And those who tried to defy this economic blockade by swimming across to other islands in search of food and water were brutally shot. On the January 31, 1979 the police opened fire killing 36 people who were trying to get food and water from a nearby island. It was not that the media was not aware of the sufferings and police brutalities on hapless Namashudras. When the reports of Marichjhapi started appearing in the media, Jyoti Basu, then chief minister of Bengal, shamelessly, termed it as ‘CIA conspiracy’ against newly elected communist government of Bengal and exhorted media to support the government in ‘national interest’. Jyoti Basu justified the police actions by accusing Namashudra refugees of being agents of foreign forces and using Marichjhapi as arms-training centre. Moreover, Jyoti Basu declared the whole area to be out of bound for media and thus effectively silencing any dissenting voices or reporting of the killings of Dalit refugees. It took more than five months and killings of thousands of Dalit refugees for the West Bengal government to effectively crush the Namashudra resistance in Marichjhapi. Totally devastated by the government brutalities the rest of the Namsahudras were packed off, as prisoner of war, back to Chattishgarh and Andaman. After destroying all the huts, markets, schools and all other visible markers of Namashudra settlement, West Bengal government declared, in May 1979, Marichjhapi ‘finally free from all refugees’. Regarding the total lives lost during the West Bengal government’s assault on Marichjhapi we will quote from one of the earliest writings on this incident by A. Biswas who wrote, in 1982, that ‘…out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal), 10,260 families returned to their previous places . . . and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings". [A. Biswas, 1982, "Why Dandakaranya a Failure, Why Mass Exodus, Where Solution?" The Oppressed Indian 4(4):18-20.] Memories in the black hole Exactly thirty years have passed by of this fateful event that took place in Marichjhapi but not many from outside are aware of the communist government’s genocidal acts against Dalits. There has been complete silence even from the Bengali civil society that claims to be very progressive and free from caste biases. The Bengali scholars, Marxist or otherwise, rule the Indian academia and write, articulate on all the problems that plague this earth. But none of them broke their silence ever on the merciless killings and eviction of people who belonged to the same Bengali society but were Dalits. Marichjhapi was soon forgotten, except by the Dalits themselves. The communists who keep on harping on fighting for the poor and dispossessed took no time in killing the same people soon after occupying the state power. Perhaps this was the apt revenge from the Bengali Bhadralok, (that completely monopolizes the Bengali civil society, it’s so called scholarly class, communist and congress leadership) against Namashudra community that once successfully challenged ‘upper’ caste hegemony in undivided Bengal. So successful is the revenge that the community now lives in complete oblivion and scattered across the country without anyone standing for their rights or speaking about what actually happened in Marichjhapi in 1979. References: While writing this article, we have drawn heavily from following two research articles among very few that are available on the tragic tale of one our Dalit communities. We are reproducing both the articles for the benefit of our readers so that we all become more aware of the tragedy and are able to fight for the justice. We are taking the liberty of posting the articles in all good faith despite the possibility of infringing copy rights. 1. Mallick, Ross, ‘Refugee Resettlement in Forest Reserves: West Bengal Policy Reversal and the Marichjhapi Massacre‘, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 58, No. 1. (Feb., 1999), pp. 104-125. 2. Jalais, Annu, ‘Dwelling on Morichjhanpi: When Tigers Became ‘Citizens’, Refugees ‘Tiger-Food’, Economic and Political Weekly, April 23, 2005 * * * * * -- "Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so your children can fly" From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Sun Nov 29 15:57:20 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:27:20 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?-_29_November?= Message-ID: <20091129112720.E52E30BB.B0E7E3AC@192.168.0.2> 29 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org CologneOFF V - video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database Today-->Bodies and Metals by Rafael (Belgium)--> http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From indersalim at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 17:47:52 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:47:52 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] pakistan in india: few images Message-ID: <47e122a70911290417v9f0f0b0n1d641144a97f7ce4@mail.gmail.com> http://pakistanindiatradefair.blogspot.com/ please click to see love indersalim -- http://indersalim.livejournal.com From chintangirishmodi at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 22:23:24 2009 From: chintangirishmodi at gmail.com (Chintan) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:23:24 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] A library in Mumbra changes the lives of women behind the burqa Message-ID: *It's a free word after all* From http://week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/theWeekContent.do?BV_ID=@@@&contentType=EDITORIAL§ionName=TheWeek%20Lifestyle&programId=1073755413&contentId=6311308 *A library in Mumbra changes the lives of women behind the burqa By Shriya Bubna* Before entering the small room they shrug off their burqas at the door and with it the weight of a cloistered routine. Rehnuma library, a square room lined with crowded bookshelves, has come to stand for freedom. It was started six years ago in the poor Muslim-dominated Mumbra, 35 km from the heart of Mumbai. “It is where we can do everything that we cannot do outside,” says 35-year-old Mumtaz Sheikh. Five years ago, Sheikh was going through a bad marriage. The library offered her refuge. Says Sheikh, “I was afraid of talking to people. I loved reading novels but had not been allowed to. I was told books are a corrupting influence. But coming here, I started reading them and it gave me confidence.” For two years, Awaaz-e-Niswan (Voice of Women), the non-profit group that runs the library, allowed her to make the library her home. During that time she got her life back on track. She separated from her husband, found a job and single-handedly raised her two children. Away from the bustle of the street below, a silent change in outlook is forged inside the library. Says 19-year-old Tabassum Khan, “If I had not discovered this place—it is easy to predict the course of my life—I would have been married by now.” Two years ago, Tabassum, having dropped out of school, started frequenting the library. Life expanded beyond the narrow confines of home. Inspired, she resumed her studies. Today the teenager has her eyes set on becoming a lawyer and championing the cause of women’s rights. Rehnuma fills a yawning gap—the need for a personal space for women—in this crowded industrial neighbourhood. With a population of nearly eight lakh, Mumbra consists of families who sought shelter here during the Mumbai riots. As Awaaz-e-Niswan surveyed the area, it came across all the indicators of stress—congested living spaces, low literacy levels and early marriage. Books, it believed, could draw the women out of their shells. Rehnuma makes it possible for women to walk confidently without the fear of disapproving eyes for a few hours at least. Says Tabassum, “The most memorable moment for me so far has been when all of us went up on stage without dupattas and put up a dance for our annual show.” But the start was slow. It took time to break down the barriers. Says Yasmin Agha, coordinator of the library, “Initially the women who came to the library asked only for religious books, which we did not keep.” Then when they came, they were in a hurry to leave. “The housewives were reluctant to sit here. They just came, borrowed books and left,” she says. So when Rabiya Siddiqui started visiting the library two years ago, her family was appalled. “I was told this place was meant for women without morals. Only with great difficulty was I able to come here,” says the 19-year-old. Today the library boasts 150 members with housewives surprisingly leading the tally. Besides, there are scores of women who have not taken membership but spend their afternoons ensconced in the library. Charging Rs 100 a year, the library has a trove of 5,000 titles built up painstakingly over the years. Books in Urdu, Hindi and English jostle for space on the shelves. “We share our problems and use each other’s experience. I had decided to leave home. But when I came to the library I realised that there is no point in running, you will always be chased by problems,” recalls Rabiya, who was under pressure from her family to get married. Instead, she decided to stay put and pursue her dreams. The library, true to its name of being a guide, has stepped up with literacy classes, personality development workshops, computer skills training and study scholarships. “The only criterion for winning a scholarship is a keen desire to study,” says Agha. Armed with the scholarship, students are pursuing a correspondence degree. The students’ voices ring with purpose when they exchange fiery verses penned by Saadat Hassan Manto, Ismat Chugtai, Amrita Pritam and Kaifi Azmi. “The fact that despite all odds we come to the library is proof enough that we have rebelled and won,” says Tabassum. It is this rebellious spirit that infuses Rabia’s poetry too. She writes, “Jaag rahi hai saari duniya, (The whole world is awake) Tumhe sula kar chal ki neend. (After tricking you into sleep) Jhute sukh se khush ho tum, (You are happy with your lot of false joy) Rakh kar girvi apni takdir.” (Not knowing you have mortgaged your destiny) Says Rabia, “I did not know how to write well earlier. I read books here and developed a unique style.” There is a sense of closeness with the writers whose works they have read and discussed at monthly sessions of their reading club. The sessions usually end up being freewheeling discussions. The noiseless revolution has spilled over to their homes. Says 19-year-old Safquat Sheikh, “I studied in a madrassa in my village and did not want to think outside my world. My sister opened my mind.” Her sister discovered the library first and then forced Safquat to join. Tabassum says her father now does not question the presence of books in the house but instead warns her to treat the books with respect. The goals have been set—Rabiya and Warissa Khan want to cut a music album, Talat Sheikh wants to teach and Tabassum wants to become a lawyer. The women scour the newspaper pages looking for suitable job openings. And, at home, as their parents broach the subject of marriage, the girls have found a stalling tactic: “Let me graduate first.” Says 24-year-old Aqila Khan, library in-charge, “An old student had said that there are two decisions that I want to make for myself—who to marry and what work to do.” As the noisy group puts on their burqas before they head out, they agree, “We can now make these two decisions ourselves.” From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 23:41:42 2009 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:41:42 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <78323d480911291011x3de51aa9rfea3276d138fcf94@mail.gmail.com> On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 2:02 AM, anoop kumar wrote: > *From **http://blog.insightyv.com/* > * > * > *Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali BhadralokThe story of a Dalit > Genocide that remains untold > > References: > > While writing this article, we have drawn heavily from following two > research articles among very few that are available on the tragic tale of > one our Dalit communities. We are reproducing both the articles for the > benefit of our readers so that we all become more aware of the tragedy and > are able to fight for the justice. We are taking the liberty of posting the > articles in all good faith despite the possibility of infringing copy > rights. > > 1. Mallick, Ross, ‘Refugee Resettlement in Forest Reserves: West Bengal > Policy Reversal and the Marichjhapi Massacre‘, The Journal of Asian Studies, > Vol. 58, No. 1. (Feb., 1999), pp. 104-125. > > 2. Jalais, Annu, ‘Dwelling on Morichjhanpi: When Tigers Became ‘Citizens’, > Refugees ‘Tiger-Food’, Economic and Political Weekly, April 23, 2005 The article is poorly researched, is biased, based on very questionable studies and seems to be propaganda work. The authors will need to review plenty of available Government records and other documentation. The casteist dimension has no basis. Best A. Mani -- A. Mani ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From virtuallyme at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 11:15:26 2009 From: virtuallyme at gmail.com (Rohan DSouza) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:15:26 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold Message-ID: <79e82f610911292145x6d0c33d5u3ca351a941b6326a@mail.gmail.com> Dear Anoop, Thanks for this interesting posting. I see parallels with what happened in Chengara in Kerala recently, where the ruling CPI(M) govt tried similar tactics on dalits and adivasis who were claiming rights to land ( http://www.indiatogether.org/2009/oct/soc-chengara.htm). The protestors/settlers were cordoned off and starved of food, water and medicines by the govt forces! Possible domination of the party in Kerala by upper caste intellectuals, similar to W.Bengal, have as the author says led the CPI(M) "which has traditionally approached issues from the ‘class’ perspective rather than the ‘caste’ angle and have seen a steady erosion of support from the dalit communities over the years." Rgds, Rohan Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 02:02:34 +0530 From: anoop kumar Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold To: reader-list at sarai.net *From **http://blog.insightyv.com/* * * *Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali BhadralokThe story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold By Nilesh Kumar, Ajay Hela, Anoop Kumar [Nilesh and Ajay are pursuing their Masters in Social work, TISS, Mumbai] Exactly 30 years ago, Dalits, in West Bengal, came to realize the true nature of Indian state that is being dominated, in every sense, by a tiny section of population but at a great personal cost. It was in 1979, when thousands of Dalits, refugees from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) lost their lives at Marichjhapi, in Sunderbans, for their dream of resettling in the region which they considered part of their motherland. Marichjhapi is just once incident in the tragic tale of one of the most powerful Dalit Community-Namashudras of Bengal - who first became the victim of Hindu-Muslim communalism during the partition and later became the victims of their castes in independent India. Moreover, the complete silence of Bengal’s civil society for almost 30 years and the fact that Dalits were killed by Communist government of West Bengal that came in the power in the name of poor and dispossessed, raises some serious questions about representation of Dalits in every sphere, the constitution of civil society and hegemony of few privileged castes over the political power in Independent India. Apart from these, the Namashudra problem also poses a big question for the Dalits (and Dalit movement) living in other parts of the country about whether they are willing to fight for the rights of their fellow community people who, unfortunately, paid the ultimate price for sending Babasaheb Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. Before Marichjhapi In 1946, Constituent Assembly was constituted with the mandate to frame Indian constitution and to function as provisional parliament for independent India. Its members were elected by state assemblies and represented almost all major communities of the country. However, the Congress government in Bombay province, headed by B.G. Kher and under instructions from Sardar Patel, ensured that Babasaheb Ambedkar was not elected. At this crucial juncture, a very prominent leader Jogendra Nath Mandal ensured his election from the Bengal province. Thus Babasaheb could enter into the constituent assembly and, later, become prime architect of Indian Constitution that guaranteed many rights for the Dalits including representation in education and government jobs. Who was Jogendra Nath Mandal? How could Babasaheb enter into Constituent Assembly from Bengal being ambushed by Congress in Bombay province and declared persona non grata due to his exposure of Gandhi and Congress as upholder of ‘upper’ caste Hindu domination? He could enter at the strength of the then untouchable community called Namashudras and Jogendra Nath Mandal was one of the prominent Namashudra leaders of Bengal. Namashudras were largely an agrarian community well-known for its hardworking nature, agricultural and artisan skills. It was one of the biggest communities of Bengal, with majority of its population based in east part of undivided Bengal (now Bangladesh) with a long tradition of resisting caste-hindu domination and fighting against untouchability practices and other ignominies thrust on them by the caste system. The Namashudra movement had been one of the most politically mobilized untouchable’s movements in colonial India that, even before Dr Ambedkar, had rejected Congress leadership for upholding the interests of landowning ‘upper’ castes under the ruse of Indian nationalism. The complete monopoly of rich Bengali Bhadraloks (a land owning class of people belonging to three Hindu ‘upper’ castes – brahmins, kayasthas and vaidyas) on congress leadership validated their severe indictment of the policies of the Congress. Even prior to congress, the Namashudras were the only voice of resistance to much touted Bengal ‘renaissance’ that, in all practical terms, were efforts of ‘upper’ caste hindus to consolidate themselves and aggressively bargain with British colonial government to restrict the benefits of British built institutions like that of education, judiciary, bureaucracy and local governance for themselves. The success of the Namashudra Movement could be easily measured by the autonomous political space which they were able to chalk out for themselves in Bengal politics and in alliance with Muslims had kept the Bengal Congress Party in opposition from the 1920s. At the strength of this political space only they could get Babasaheb elected to the Constituent Assembly. This exclusion of ‘upper’ caste Hindus from power in Bengal led Hindu elite and eventually the Congress Party pressing for partition of the province at independence, so that at least the western half would return to their control. So successful they have been in their design that West Bengal is probably the only state in the country where ‘upper’ caste hegemony went completely unchallenged in independent India till today. It is clearly manifested in every sphere of life there and one hardly comes across any murmur of Dalit assertion ever. One of the best indicators of ‘upper’ caste Hindu domination over West Bengal would be the number of Cabinet positions enjoyed by them in the successive state governments - the tiny tri-caste Bengali elite (consisting of brahmins, kayasthas and vaidyas) increased its Cabinet composition from 78 percent under the Congress regime (1952-62) to 90 percent under the Communist regime indicating their complete domination over West Bengal. How this was achieved? What happened to the once powerful Namashudra community that resisted the ‘upper’ caste hegemony in pre-independent India? The Plight of Namashudras in post Independent India Marichjhapi is one of the small islands lying within the Sundarbans area of West Bengal. It was here, in 1979, that thousands of Dalits were killed by the communist led West Bengal government. Hundreds were killed directly in police firings but many more died of starvation, lack of drinking water and diseases due to the economic blockade that was imposed on them by the state government and carried out by the police and communist cadres together. Their settlements in Marichjhapi were completely bulldozed, destroyed and hundreds of women raped leaving behind only the dead bodies of the Dalits to be either dumped in the water bodies or to be eaten by the beasts of nearby jungles in one of the biggest genocide carried out by any state in independent India. The people who survived were driven out of West Bengal to continue living with the tragic memories of their lost loved ones and perpetual longing for the soil that once constituted parts of their motherland. What happened at Marichjhapi is just one incident in the long tragic history of this particular Bengali Dalit community that started with the partition of the country and is continued till today. They have been living in their own country as second grade citizens, being forcefully scattered throughout the country. These helpless victims belonged to a Dalit community called Namashudras and were refugees from East Bengal (now Bangladesh) who were dispatched to different parts of the country by the state government citing the lack of space in West Bengal but took no time and least efforts to provide maximum possible relief and rehabilitation to the ‘upper’ caste refugees. Apart from this, these refugees illegally occupied large areas in and around Kolkata and other major cities of Bengal and got it regularized but when it came to Dalit refugees, the then Congress Chief Minister B.C. Roy wrote to Prime Minister Nehru that ‘we have no place for them, send them to other states’. Then these Dalit refugees, despite their vociferous protests, were dispatched to inhospitable and far flung areas of states like Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttaranchal, Assam to live in completely alien environment. They were driven down to these places packed in government vehicles as cattle, under strict police supervision. Later many of their settlements in different states, like Mana camp in Orissa, were turned into concentration camps as government employed the services of Indian army to guard the camps for 12 long years, lest these people would escape to West Bengal. Marichjhapi massacre of Dalit refugees by Left government in Bengal is just one incident. Even before Marichjhapi there were numerous incidents where many Namashudra refugees got killed by police while demanding for better provisions in the camps where they were being forcefully kept. Apart from being persecuted by the state, the Namashudras, settled outside West Bengal, also suffered enormously from various other factors. They continuously faced hostility of local populace that strongly resented the presence of outsiders in their surroundings. Most of the camps were in the areas that were not fit for agriculture and being primarily an agrarian community, totally different type of climates and soil conditions made them handicap. Also even the reservation provisions for which, as Dalits, they would have been eligible in West Bengal, were not recognized in the states in which they were settled, as their castes were not native to those states. Despite all the difficulties, Namashudra refugees settled in different states kept their dream alive of returning back to the environment/culture/land that they belong to. The Great Communist Betrayal During this period, in late 1960s and till mid-70s, the Bengali communists led by CPI (M), which was in opposition then, took up the case of these refugees and demanded the government to settle them within their native Bengal rather than scatter them across India on the lands of other peoples. The communist, again its leadership monopolized by ‘upper’ caste, started raising their voices in the support of Dalit refugees and promised to provide them rehabilitation in West Bengal. The sites they mentioned in West Bengal for resettlement were either the Sundarbans area of the Ganges delta or vacant land scattered in various places throughout the state. The party leaders went around various Dalit camps campaigning for their return to West Bengal, simultaneously promising full support after coming in power. Particularly one, Mr. Ram Chatterjee, who later became minister in the CPI (M) led government, exhorted the Dalit refugees by thundering, “The 5 crore Bengalis by raising their 10 crore hands are welcoming you back.” In 1977, when the Left Front came to power, they found that the Dalit refugees had taken them at their words having disposed off whatever their meager belongings were and have marched towards West Bengal. In all, 1, 50,000 refugees arrived from Dandakaranya region of what is now Chhattisgarh expecting the communists to honour their words. Instead the Left Front government started sending them back forcibly citing the lack of space in the state – the same reason that was cited earlier when the Dalits arrived from East Bengal during the partition. It was a rude shock for the refugees who were depending on the newly elected Left Front government. When they opposed this, Dalit refugees were brutally evicted from various railway stations, being fired upon by the West Bengal police and were denied food and water. Still many refugees managed to escape and reached Marichjhapi, an island that lies in the northern part of the Sunderbans. Thousands of other Dalit refugees also marched to Marichjhapi on feet along the railway tracks, avoiding the police. By the end of the year 1978, there were 30,000 Dalit refugees in the island of Marichjhapi who rapidly established it as one of the best-developed islands of the Sundarbans. Within a few months tube-wells had been dug, a viable fishing industry, saltpans, dispensaries and schools were established. In short, in just few months, the hard working Namashudras built a thriving local economy without any government support in the region that is considered the poorest in West Bengal. Deeply humiliated by the successful resettlement of Namashudra refugees in Marichjhapi, the Left Front government started their propaganda against them by stating that the ‘Marichjhapi is a part of the Sundarbans government reserve forest’ and therefore Dalit refugees were ‘violating the Forest Acts and thereby disturbing the existing and potential forest wealth and also creating ecological imbalance’. This was a blatant lie as Marichjhapi did not fall under government reserve forest at all. The Bengali Bhadralok leadership of Left Front had to resort to such lies and take up environmental concerns as an excuse as the Marichjhapi exposed their earlier lie too regarding ‘lack of space in West Bengal’. The West Bengal government launched a full frontal assault on the Marichjhapi and the Dalit refugees. It started with the economic blockade. The police cordoned off the whole island, cutting every communication links with the outside world. Thirty police launches encircled the island thereby depriving the settlers of food and water; they were also tear-gassed, their huts razed, their boats sunk, their fisheries and tube-wells destroyed, and those who tried to cross the river were shot at. Several hundred men, women and children were believed to have died during that time and their bodies thrown in the river. And those who tried to defy this economic blockade by swimming across to other islands in search of food and water were brutally shot. On the January 31, 1979 the police opened fire killing 36 people who were trying to get food and water from a nearby island. It was not that the media was not aware of the sufferings and police brutalities on hapless Namashudras. When the reports of Marichjhapi started appearing in the media, Jyoti Basu, then chief minister of Bengal, shamelessly, termed it as ‘CIA conspiracy’ against newly elected communist government of Bengal and exhorted media to support the government in ‘national interest’. Jyoti Basu justified the police actions by accusing Namashudra refugees of being agents of foreign forces and using Marichjhapi as arms-training centre. Moreover, Jyoti Basu declared the whole area to be out of bound for media and thus effectively silencing any dissenting voices or reporting of the killings of Dalit refugees. It took more than five months and killings of thousands of Dalit refugees for the West Bengal government to effectively crush the Namashudra resistance in Marichjhapi. Totally devastated by the government brutalities the rest of the Namsahudras were packed off, as prisoner of war, back to Chattishgarh and Andaman. After destroying all the huts, markets, schools and all other visible markers of Namashudra settlement, West Bengal government declared, in May 1979, Marichjhapi ‘finally free from all refugees’. Regarding the total lives lost during the West Bengal government’s assault on Marichjhapi we will quote from one of the earliest writings on this incident by A. Biswas who wrote, in 1982, that ‘…out of the 14,388 families who deserted [for West Bengal), 10,260 families returned to their previous places . . . and the remaining 4,128 families perished in transit, died of starvation, exhaustion, and many were killed in Kashipur, Kumirmari, and Marichjhapi by police firings". [A. Biswas, 1982, "Why Dandakaranya a Failure, Why Mass Exodus, Where Solution?" The Oppressed Indian 4(4):18-20.] Memories in the black hole Exactly thirty years have passed by of this fateful event that took place in Marichjhapi but not many from outside are aware of the communist government’s genocidal acts against Dalits. There has been complete silence even from the Bengali civil society that claims to be very progressive and free from caste biases. The Bengali scholars, Marxist or otherwise, rule the Indian academia and write, articulate on all the problems that plague this earth. But none of them broke their silence ever on the merciless killings and eviction of people who belonged to the same Bengali society but were Dalits. Marichjhapi was soon forgotten, except by the Dalits themselves. The communists who keep on harping on fighting for the poor and dispossessed took no time in killing the same people soon after occupying the state power. Perhaps this was the apt revenge from the Bengali Bhadralok, (that completely monopolizes the Bengali civil society, it’s so called scholarly class, communist and congress leadership) against Namashudra community that once successfully challenged ‘upper’ caste hegemony in undivided Bengal. So successful is the revenge that the community now lives in complete oblivion and scattered across the country without anyone standing for their rights or speaking about what actually happened in Marichjhapi in 1979. References: While writing this article, we have drawn heavily from following two research articles among very few that are available on the tragic tale of one our Dalit communities. We are reproducing both the articles for the benefit of our readers so that we all become more aware of the tragedy and are able to fight for the justice. We are taking the liberty of posting the articles in all good faith despite the possibility of infringing copy rights. 1. Mallick, Ross, ‘Refugee Resettlement in Forest Reserves: West Bengal Policy Reversal and the Marichjhapi Massacre‘, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 58, No. 1. (Feb., 1999), pp. 104-125. 2. Jalais, Annu, ‘Dwelling on Morichjhanpi: When Tigers Became ‘Citizens’, Refugees ‘Tiger-Food’, Economic and Political Weekly, April 23, 2005 * * * * * -- "Rosa sat so Martin could walk; Martin walked so Obama could run, Obama ran so your children can fly" From nc-agricowi at netcologne.de Mon Nov 30 12:15:06 2009 From: nc-agricowi at netcologne.de (artNET) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:45:06 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] =?iso-8859-1?q?CologneOFF_V_-_features_for_one_day_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?-_30_November?= Message-ID: <20091130074506.D4B468C5.A3BC23DE@192.168.0.2> 30 November 2009 ------------------------------------ VideoChannel Cologne presents CologneOFF V - Taboo! Taboo? 5th Cologne Online Film Festival http://coff.newmediafest.org CologneOFF V - video features for one day on VAD - Video Art Database Today-->Murdered Brides by Arzu Ozkal Telhan (Turkey) --> http://vad.nmartproject.net/?p=974 ---------------------------------------------- The CologneOFF V festival catalogue can be downloaded for freee as PDF –> http://downloads.nmartproject.net/CologneOFF_5th_edition_2009.pdf --------------------------------------------- VideoChannel - http://videochannel.newmediafest.org is presenting CologneOFF V - 5th Cologne Online Film Festival also on --> Microwave - New Media Arts Festival 2009 Hong Kong - 13 Nov - 11 Dec 2009, and --> Fonlad - Digital Art Festival Guarda Portugal - 14 Nov 2009 - 03 Jan 2010 --> in December in UK and Feb 2010 in India -------------------------------------------- The entire festival can be accessed online directly via http://coff05.newmediafest.org info[at]coff.newmediafest.org -------------------------------------------- From pawan.durani at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 15:43:09 2009 From: pawan.durani at gmail.com (Pawan Durani) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:43:09 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] China objects to J&K road project, India stops work Message-ID: <6b79f1a70911300213m7e5e7435gace3ea957121761c@mail.gmail.com> http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/China-objects-to-JK-road-project-India-stops-work/articleshow/5284208.cms NEW DELHI: In what seems to be another example of China showing its assertiveness, the Jammu and Kashmir government has stopped work on a strategic road project after the Chinese indicated their reservations over the same. ( Watch Video ) The state government has confirmed that work was stopped on a road project under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Demchok in south-east Leh in Ladakh, after the Chinese army objected. Chief minister Omar Abdullah confirmed reports that an 8-km road was being constructed under the NREGS to improve road connectivity and provide employment to local residents. Forming the eastern boundary of Ladakh, Demchok is the last inhabited area on the Line of Actual Control. “Demchok is right on border which is our last post. People of this village were building a road under the NREGS scheme. There is a nala (drain) coming down from the mountains. The western side of the nala is our territory and the eastern is the Tibetan border. On the other side (Chinese) have already built a road along this nala upstream. On our side villagers were building a road. They had completed 4 kms and suddenly the Chinese came from other side and stopped the work - so now the road is incomplete,” said Chering Dorjay, chief executive councilor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. He added that the road was built because the local population had been demanding a link. “We have a hot spring on our side where we have started a hydro-therapy centre. Villagers had been demanding a road ahead, all on our side,” he said. He said the Government of India had been informed about the development. Official sources said Leh deputy commissioner Ajit Kumar Sahu has visited the area and submitted a report to the government. China has used these aggressive tactics earlier as well. A few days ago National Remote Sensing agency released satellite images of a dam being built on the Chinese side of the Brahmaputra river. There is also the suspicion that China has provided the banned militant outfit ULFA, cover and small arms and weapons. In Washington recently the Prime Minister had stated on record that India had taken note of “assertiveness” by China which he did not fully understand. Commenting on the latest development Times Now strategic affairs analyst Mahroof Raza said this put to rest claims that media and certain elements in the establishment have been overplaying the Chinese threat. “This is ample proof. When the Chinese took up construction of a road on their side close to the LoC – I do not see why the Indian side did not take it up with Chinese authorities. The villagers have a right to make their lives more comfortable,” he said. Hassan Khan – an independent MP from Ladakh said he had been informed by locals about the road construction being halted and added that the villagers had asked the district administration and executive agencies to intervene. Government sources have told Times Now that though there is no likelihood at all of war between the two nations, considering China’s new assertiveness, India has to be prepared for all eventualities and this includes military ones. In this context, the sources said, steps towards a military buildup along the Indo-China border have already been taken. From kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com Mon Nov 30 17:01:14 2009 From: kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com (Kshmendra Kaul) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:31:14 -0800 (PST) Subject: [Reader-list] A library in Mumbra changes the lives of women behind the burqa In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <392880.6525.qm@web57204.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dear Chintan   Thanks for sharing this inspirational report   Kshmendra From sudeep.ks at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 17:26:41 2009 From: sudeep.ks at gmail.com (Sudeep K S) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:26:41 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold In-Reply-To: <78323d480911291011x3de51aa9rfea3276d138fcf94@mail.gmail.com> References: <78323d480911291011x3de51aa9rfea3276d138fcf94@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Mani, It was interesting to see your response. The article may be biased (which I think every article/report is), but I admire Ajay, Nilesh and Anoop for their effort to throw some light to this incident that remained in the blackholes of our history till now. This is another Jalian Walabag, but it happened in an independent India. I think it is also an example of how media and academia can work together to make sure some unpleasant stories never get told. Unless of course, some 'baastuharas' start speaking up and make their histories heard. (That story is bound to be biased, no doubt!) I would be happy if you could do some rich research on this (I wonder if Government records will be any useful at all, but you could give it a try) and come up with a less biased or unbiased version of it. Regards Sudeep [PS: A comment at the blog post that I found interesting: *Amra kara? Baasthuhaara; Morichjhappi chharbona..* (Who are we? We are the dispossessed; We will not leave Morichjhappi, do what you may) The slogan shouted by the villagers in unison when they took on the armed police force in May 1979. -The Hungry Tide (Amitav Ghosh) It was Amitav Ghosh’s novel ‘The Hunger Tide ’which prompted me to this unheard tale of these Baasthuhaaras. His characters Nirmal and Kusum took me to Morichjhappi, the tide country island where thousands of dispossessed who braved the tigers, crocodiles -and then the state machinery- lived their extra ordinary lives. Then only I came to read the legend of Saphala nanda Halder who swam all the way to the mainland to take the media men to the Sunderban islands to convince them that they were not encroachers of reserve forests..] On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 11:41 PM, A. Mani wrote: > The article is poorly researched, is biased, based on very > questionable studies and seems to be propaganda work. The authors will > need to review plenty of available Government records and other > documentation. > > The casteist dimension has no basis. > > Best > > A. Mani > > -- > A. Mani > ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS > http://www.logicamani.co.cc From naresh.rhythm at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 20:59:10 2009 From: naresh.rhythm at gmail.com (Naresh Kumar) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:59:10 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] DISABLED PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO EDUCATION: stakeholders, state and civil society Message-ID: <9e53509a0911300729q9a32961u6ef21c1e598ed454@mail.gmail.com> Disabled and the Right to Education Stakeholders, State and Civil Society ORGANIZED BY SAMBHAVANA ON Wednesday, 2nd December, 2009 Venue: Room No. 22, Arts Faculty, Delhi University, (North Campus), Delhi 7. Registration: 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm Overview of Sambhavana’s Fight for the Rights of Disabled. (1:30 pm - 1:40 pm) Keynote of the Conference. (1:40 pm - 1:50 pm) DR. ANITA GHAI, Associate Professor, (Psychology), Jesus And Mary College, University of Delhi; and presently Fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, ‘Right To Education, Gender and Disability in Globalizing Times’. (1:50 pm - 2:20 pm) MR. KUMAR SANJAY SINGH, Associate Professor, (History), Swami Shraddhanand College, University of Delhi, ‘Disability, Poverty and the Sustainable Assistance Programs?’. (2:20 pm - 2:50 pm) MR. J. C. GUPTA, Director, National Institute for Hearing Handicapped, ‘Education of Hearing Impaired’. (2:50 pm - 3:20 pm) MR. ASHOK AGGRAWAL, Eminent Lawyer and People’s Right Activist. ‘Disabled and their Education’. (3:20 pm - 3:50 pm) MR. S. K. RUNGTA, General Secretary, National Federation of the Blind (NFB), ‘Education of Persons with Disabilities: a Comparative Survey of Existing Situation and Possible Strategies for Achieving Inclusion’. (3:50 pm - 4:20 pm) Open House Discussion. (4:20 pm - 5:00 pm) Summing up. (5:00 pm - 5:10 pm) Vote of Thanks. (5:10 pm - 5:15. pm) Tea (5:15 pm) Contact: Pratap Singh Bisht (9818685889), Nikhil Jain (9818021880), Vikas Gupta (9818193875), Santosh (9810818337) Visit: www.sambhavnagroup.org From sg_cal at hotmail.com Mon Nov 30 21:32:22 2009 From: sg_cal at hotmail.com (saswati ghosh) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:32:22 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold In-Reply-To: References: , <78323d480911291011x3de51aa9rfea3276d138fcf94@mail.gmail.com>, Message-ID: dear all, it is most unfortunate that we had to wait for amitav ghosh to write a novel in english to have an all-India reaction on marichjhapi!!! there were responses AT THAT time as well. the far left, particularly the students, responded. some far-left students from jadavpur university tried to reach that place, even by swimming across when denied ferry services. I don't now where those friends are now, may be settled in the west as well-placed engineers!!! yes there is a caste aspect in the marichjhapi story. the caste question in the left-socialist bengal has always been a latent issue. I think, the bengalee upper caste bhadraloks, being neither very openly rigid like the south or openly violent like the north, has successfully been able to maintain its hegemony over all the issues, including strategies for social transformation. not only in marichjhapi, in the ongoing influx of refugees from bangladesh, most of whom are from backward castes, including namashudras, has made the bengalee intellligentsia silent about it. the likes of com. jyoti basu and com. somnath chattopadhyay, to most of the left leaders of all hues, the congress, all the upper caste people and their relatives have fled from east pakistan long back, without facing the subsequent persecution. those who were left, were mostly people from the so-called backward castes and the upper caste bengalee bhadralok from any party, right or left, felt no any ethical responsibility to those who were left behind in earswhile east pakistan or present bangladesh. nandigram-singur issue made some people to unearth past instances of ruling CPI(M)'s treachery and that led to the renewed interest in marichjhapi. we still try to deny the caste aspect, one wonders what would have happened if majority of the marichjahpi refugees had surnames like banerjees, mukherjees, chatterjis, ghosh, bose, guha, mitra etc with relatives in kolkata (sorry, then calcutta)!!! a bengalee film, available on youtube has traced some of the surviving refugees along the rail tracks of suburban lines, living in jhopris, running tea stalls. thanx, saswati ghosh, (unfortunately, a part of the upper caste bengalee far left) > Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:26:41 +0530 > From: sudeep.ks at gmail.com > To: a.mani.cms at gmail.com > CC: reader-list at sarai.net > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold > > Dear Mani, > > It was interesting to see your response. The article may be biased (which I > think every article/report is), but I admire Ajay, Nilesh and Anoop for > their effort to throw some light to this incident that remained in the > blackholes of our history till now. > > This is another Jalian Walabag, but it happened in an independent India. I > think it is also an example of how media and academia can work together to > make sure some unpleasant stories never get told. Unless of course, some > 'baastuharas' start speaking up and make their histories heard. (That story > is bound to be biased, no doubt!) > > I would be happy if you could do some rich research on this (I wonder if > Government records will be any useful at all, but you could give it a try) > and come up with a less biased or unbiased version of it. > > Regards > Sudeep > > [PS: A comment at the blog post that I found interesting: > > *Amra kara? > Baasthuhaara; > Morichjhappi chharbona..* > > (Who are we? We are the dispossessed; We will not leave Morichjhappi, do > what you may) > The slogan shouted by the villagers in unison when they took on the armed > police force in May 1979. > -The Hungry Tide (Amitav Ghosh) > > It was Amitav Ghosh’s novel ‘The Hunger Tide ’which prompted me to this > unheard tale of these Baasthuhaaras. His characters Nirmal and Kusum took me > to Morichjhappi, the tide country island where thousands of dispossessed who > braved the tigers, crocodiles -and then the state machinery- lived their > extra ordinary lives. Then only I came to read the legend of Saphala nanda > Halder who swam all the way to the mainland to take the media men to the > Sunderban islands to convince them that they were not encroachers of reserve > forests..] > > On Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 11:41 PM, A. Mani wrote: > > The article is poorly researched, is biased, based on very > > questionable studies and seems to be propaganda work. The authors will > > need to review plenty of available Government records and other > > documentation. > > > > The casteist dimension has no basis. > > > > Best > > > > A. Mani > > > > -- > > A. Mani > > ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS > > http://www.logicamani.co.cc > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> _________________________________________________________________ New Windows 7: Simplify what you do everyday. Find the right PC for you. http://windows.microsoft.com/shop From kauladityaraj at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 21:42:06 2009 From: kauladityaraj at gmail.com (Aditya Raj Kaul) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:42:06 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Minaret ban marks start of tough Swiss debate on Islam Message-ID: <6353c690911300812t495a89dahd28173bd92ee55ca@mail.gmail.com> Minaret ban marks start of tough Swiss debate on Islam By Imogen Foulkes BBC News, Geneva Link - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8386456.stm *In Switzerland the soul-searching has begun following Sunday's nationwide referendum in which voters surprisingly backed a plan to ban the construction of minarets. * No-one can quite understand how a proposal widely regarded even by its supporters as destined for failure at the ballot box actually came to be passed. That, however, according to political analysts, may have been part of the problem. Opinion polls showing a majority of voters would reject a ban were only to be expected, says Zurich political scientist Michael Hermann, when most of the Swiss media had already categorised a ban on minarets as politically incorrect and its supporters stupid. "People aren't necessarily going to tell pollsters the truth if they think it makes them look ignorant and intolerant," explained Mr Hermann. *Unease underestimated* What many Swiss politicians are beginning to realise this morning is that they underestimated the concern among their population about integration of Muslims in Switzerland, and about possible Islamic extremism. So while the right-wing Swiss People's Party campaigned hard, warning in meetings up and down the country of the possible introduction of Sharia law in Switzerland, the middle ground and left-wing parties did very little. There were few posters, and none to compete with the People's Party's eye-catching and controversial offering, which showed a woman shrouded in a black burka, a map of Switzerland behind her, black minarets shooting out of it like missiles. Elham Manea, founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam - an organisation dedicated to Muslim integration in Switzerland - is disappointed not just with the outcome of the vote, but with the debate around it. "The way the discussion was conducted was simply polemic," she said. "We didn't ask the right questions, when we talked about integration problems for immigrants with an Islamic background. "For example what is the size of political Islam, how big is the problem of forced marriage? Do we have that problem? Yes we do, we know we do, but which groups are practising it, and how do we deal with it?" The problem for Ms Manea, and many Swiss Muslims, is that the ban on minarets does not really address any of these problems and may even isolate the community still further. "My fear is that the younger generation will feel unwelcome," she said. "It's a message sent to them that you are not welcome here as true citizens of this society and that could leave the ground open for Islamic extremist groups who are just waiting to exploit that sort of frustration for their own ends." *Nervous government* Meanwhile Swiss cabinet ministers who had advised, and confidently expected, voters to reject a ban, have woken up to newspaper headlines calling the referendum a slap in the face for the government, and a "catastrophe" for Switzerland. They are now facing the delicate task of explaining the voters' decision to Muslim countries with whom Switzerland has traditionally good trade relations. Within government circles, there is the expectation that these relations will be damaged and that the Swiss economy may suffer as a result. So concerned is the government by the decision that Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer Schlumpf, watching the results come in on Sunday afternoon, apparently told her advisers there ought to be some restrictions on what the general public can actually vote on. This, for Switzerland, is political dynamite. The country's system of direct democracy is sacrosanct. The people are allowed to vote on any policy and to propose policy themselves, which is what they did on minarets. The fact that there is little evidence of Muslim extremism in Switzerland and that the banning of minarets would be unlikely to prevent extremism even if it did exist, does not really matter. The real issue is that there was clearly unease among the Swiss population, particularly among rural communities, about Islam. The People's Party played on those fears while the Swiss government did not address them at all. Now Switzerland's image abroad, and its relations with its own Muslim community, may bear the consequences. There are already indications that, buoyed by the size of the vote in favour of the ban, the Swiss People's Party is planning further measures. Hermann Leu, a local People's Party representative from Thurgau canton, described the size of the vote in favour as "a clear sign that the Muslim community must get on with integrating itself right away". Proposals from some towns include banning the burka, setting up committees to identify imams who preach "hate", detaining and deporting them, and banning school dispensations in which Muslim children stay away from swimming lessons or take time out for prayers. Switzerland's debate about Islam has now well and truly begun but perhaps not in the way Swiss Muslims would have wished it. From ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de Mon Nov 30 22:24:11 2009 From: ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de (ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:54:11 +0100 Subject: [Reader-list] Minaret ban marks start of tough Swiss debate on Islam In-Reply-To: <6353c690911300812t495a89dahd28173bd92ee55ca@mail.gmail.com> References: <6353c690911300812t495a89dahd28173bd92ee55ca@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <54679.194.94.133.4.1259600051.webmail@portal.zedat.fu-berlin.de> So far it's mainly the pogrom-atmosphere and readers' comments on newspaper websites that have the déjà vu-effect on me, but it might well be that Switzerland is also in a more substantial fashion on the way of becoming the Gujarat of Europe, and this is very scary, not least because it would prove that with Gujarat a new form of globally relevant anti-minority politics that does not seek to abolish but that essentially draws on democratic mechanisms has been established... Very concerned - Britta --------------------------------------- Dr. Britta Ohm Institute of Social Anthropology University of Bern Laenggassstr. 49a 3012 Bern Switzerland +41-(0)31-631 8995 (main office) +41-(0)31-631 8997 (direct line) britta.ohm at anthro.unibe.ch Solmsstr. 36 10961 Berlin Germany +49-(0)30-69507155 ohm at zedat.fu-berlin.de > Minaret ban marks start of tough Swiss debate on Islam > By Imogen Foulkes > BBC News, Geneva > > Link - http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8386456.stm > > *In Switzerland the soul-searching has begun following Sunday's nationwide > referendum in which voters surprisingly backed a plan to ban the > construction of minarets. * > > No-one can quite understand how a proposal widely regarded even by its > supporters as destined for failure at the ballot box actually came to be > passed. > > That, however, according to political analysts, may have been part of the > problem. > > Opinion polls showing a majority of voters would reject a ban were only to > be expected, says Zurich political scientist Michael Hermann, when most of > the Swiss media had already categorised a ban on minarets as politically > incorrect and its supporters stupid. > > "People aren't necessarily going to tell pollsters the truth if they think > it makes them look ignorant and intolerant," explained Mr Hermann. > > *Unease underestimated* > > What many Swiss politicians are beginning to realise this morning is that > they underestimated the concern among their population about integration > of > Muslims in Switzerland, and about possible Islamic extremism. > > So while the right-wing Swiss People's Party campaigned hard, warning in > meetings up and down the country of the possible introduction of Sharia > law > in Switzerland, the middle ground and left-wing parties did very little. > > There were few posters, and none to compete with the People's Party's > eye-catching and controversial offering, which showed a woman shrouded in > a > black burka, a map of Switzerland behind her, black minarets shooting out > of > it like missiles. > > Elham Manea, founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam - an > organisation > dedicated to Muslim integration in Switzerland - is disappointed not just > with the outcome of the vote, but with the debate around it. > > "The way the discussion was conducted was simply polemic," she said. > > "We didn't ask the right questions, when we talked about integration > problems for immigrants with an Islamic background. > > "For example what is the size of political Islam, how big is the problem > of > forced marriage? Do we have that problem? Yes we do, we know we do, but > which groups are practising it, and how do we deal with it?" > > The problem for Ms Manea, and many Swiss Muslims, is that the ban on > minarets does not really address any of these problems and may even > isolate > the community still further. > > "My fear is that the younger generation will feel unwelcome," she said. > > "It's a message sent to them that you are not welcome here as true > citizens > of this society and that could leave the ground open for Islamic extremist > groups who are just waiting to exploit that sort of frustration for their > own ends." > > *Nervous government* > > Meanwhile Swiss cabinet ministers who had advised, and confidently > expected, > voters to reject a ban, have woken up to newspaper headlines calling the > referendum a slap in the face for the government, and a "catastrophe" for > Switzerland. > > They are now facing the delicate task of explaining the voters' decision > to > Muslim countries with whom Switzerland has traditionally good trade > relations. Within government circles, there is the expectation that these > relations will be damaged and that the Swiss economy may suffer as a > result. > > > So concerned is the government by the decision that Swiss Justice Minister > Eveline Widmer Schlumpf, watching the results come in on Sunday afternoon, > apparently told her advisers there ought to be some restrictions on what > the > general public can actually vote on. > > This, for Switzerland, is political dynamite. The country's system of > direct > democracy is sacrosanct. The people are allowed to vote on any policy and > to > propose policy themselves, which is what they did on minarets. > > The fact that there is little evidence of Muslim extremism in Switzerland > and that the banning of minarets would be unlikely to prevent extremism > even > if it did exist, does not really matter. The real issue is that there was > clearly unease among the Swiss population, particularly among rural > communities, about Islam. > > The People's Party played on those fears while the Swiss government did > not > address them at all. Now Switzerland's image abroad, and its relations > with > its own Muslim community, may bear the consequences. > > There are already indications that, buoyed by the size of the vote in > favour > of the ban, the Swiss People's Party is planning further measures. > > Hermann Leu, a local People's Party representative from Thurgau canton, > described the size of the vote in favour as "a clear sign that the Muslim > community must get on with integrating itself right away". > > Proposals from some towns include banning the burka, setting up committees > to identify imams who preach "hate", detaining and deporting them, and > banning school dispensations in which Muslim children stay away from > swimming lessons or take time out for prayers. > > Switzerland's debate about Islam has now well and truly begun but perhaps > not in the way Swiss Muslims would have wished it. > _________________________________________ > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city. > Critiques & Collaborations > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with > subscribe in the subject header. > To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list > List archive: <https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/> From a.mani.cms at gmail.com Mon Nov 30 23:53:13 2009 From: a.mani.cms at gmail.com (A. Mani) Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 23:53:13 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] Marichjhapi and the Revenge of Bengali Bhadralok: The story of a Dalit Genocide that remains untold In-Reply-To: References: <78323d480911291011x3de51aa9rfea3276d138fcf94@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <78323d480911301023g4e1c54aewf3e05ae958a5eb2f@mail.gmail.com> On Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 9:32 PM, saswati ghosh wrote: > dear all, > it is most unfortunate that we had to wait for amitav ghosh to write a novel > in english to have an all-India reaction on marichjhapi!!! > there were responses AT THAT time as well. the far left, particularly the > students, responded. some far-left students from jadavpur university tried > to reach that place, even by swimming across when denied ferry services. I > don't now where those friends are now, may be settled in the west as > well-placed engineers!!! > yes there is a caste aspect in the marichjhapi story. the caste question in > the left-socialist bengal has always been a latent issue. I think, the Caste is of little consequence in Left-Bengal. There are two main aspects in the marichjhapi story: 1. Mismanagement of the refugee problem by the Left Government. Due to resource constraints, the Govt realised that they could not offer much support to the refugees in Dandakarnya. But entry into the state was allowed - this was a mistake (they were explicitly warned of 'no Govt support', though). Most of the village people in West Bengal resisted their entry and many violent incidents did take place. The police action was intended to evict the refugees from Marichjhapi and also to arrest particular merceneries. 2. The involvement of the CIA and related agencies (who apparently had infiltrated the refugee lines) in organising armed training camps was also a major reason for the police action. The CIA may never declassify documents relating to their involvement (and when they operate through other agencies, then it is not usually transparent). All decisions by the Left Government were taken on the basis of feedback from the ground level. Within the CPI(M) party all these aspects were debated in detail and many did not want a direct police action. Direct casualties in action were limited. It is also true that most of the party people regard the forced eviction as the biggest mistake ever. There are no parallels with any other later-day incident. You can try claiming that the villagers in South Bengal were 'casteist', but it is not true. Best A. Mani -- A. Mani ASL, CLC, AMS, CMS http://www.logicamani.co.cc From indersalim at gmail.com Sun Nov 29 03:16:39 2009 From: indersalim at gmail.com (Inder Salim) Date: Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:16:39 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] pakistan in india: few images Message-ID: <47e122a70911281346r3cd4171agb7d2251dbb3f2efa@mail.gmail.com> please click to see http://pakistanindiatradefair.blogspot.com/ with love inder salim From zuleikha.allana at gmail.com Fri Nov 27 11:39:02 2009 From: zuleikha.allana at gmail.com (Zuleikha Allana) Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:39:02 +0530 Subject: [Reader-list] [Announcements] Delhi Ibsen Festival 2009 In-Reply-To: <76dcf31b0911220712s2b6beb96ie0f289d24c0db6eb@mail.gmail.com> References: <821280.92308.qm@web56803.mail.re3.yahoo.com> <76dcf31b0911220025t311ef8e0o701f9502d7f40b37@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220035h1cd7e5ccjce44a9e8d9b9b1f1@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220553i196b292fn17045b159a988403@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220604i7bcd7cc4n6c1663693384a0e9@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220618i66635718pb8545b40031e18ae@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220636g9a0a79exa030aadd336b99ea@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220645l6b103d37jc195b58babc50e9a@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220710l69184533t35a9bbb86ccf6113@mail.gmail.com> <76dcf31b0911220712s2b6beb96ie0f289d24c0db6eb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <8a0fbd430911262209g789df094s1ae11c5dd382458b@mail.gmail.com> DELHI IBSEN FESTIVAL 2009 presents SOME STAGE DIRECTIONS FOR HENRIK IBSEN’S JOHN GABRIEL BORKMAN Based on Henrik Ibsen’s John Gabriel Borkman and texts by the Raqs Media Collective. Directed by Zuleikha Chaudhari December 4th and 5th 2009 7pm MEGHDOOT III EXHIBITION HALL RABINDRA BHAVAN, MANDI HOUSE Invitations: 9871419481,9958111319,9810166643 Dear Friends,It gives me great pleasure to invite you to the second Delhi Ibsen Festival from December 3 - 14, 2009. The productions are extraordinary and present an international inter-cultural perspective, making it unique, and the only specialized theatre festival of a foreign playwright in India. Details for invitation are available in the enclosed poster. For any further query mail us to info at delhibsenfestival.com Best wishes. Nissar Allana Theatre & Television Associates E 30, Greater Kailash II New Delhi 110048 India -------------- next part -------------- _______________________________________________ announcements mailing list announcements at sarai.net http://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/announcements