-
-
Dalit - Black Untouchables of India
Between the rising incidents of atrocities on Dalit community, Vijay mishra, a scholar in history and part time film maker, tries to explore the scene of social injustice with case study of Gohana and harsaulla (both are villages of Harayana)
A visit to Gohana, hardly 75 kilometers away from the national capital one can come across many such stories where overnight many such happy and bustling families have not only been rendered homeless but a dark future is awaiting before them. On that day (31st August'05) the town witnessed burning of 50-60 houses belonging to Valmiki (Dalit) community in broad daylight. As it was reported in the media a 1,500-2,000 strong of mob of upper caste people mainly belonging to the Jat community attacked their houses in a systematic manner. The perpetrators had come fully armed with spears, batons, axes, petrol and kerosene oils. They broke TV sets, Refrigerators, Washing Machines, looted the valuables and burst LPG cylinders.
Legally, the notion of untouchables and discrimination against the Dalits are prohibited under the Indian Constitution under a 1955 civil rights act and the 1989 Prevention of Atrocities, or POA, act. The act was written explicitly to outlaw physical and verbal abuse against Dalits, but hasn't had the desired effect.
more on the subject :
http://www.opendemocracy.net/globalization-world/articl...
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2267/is_1_70/ai_...
http://www.dalitnetwork.org/
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2007/02/13/india15303.h...
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/52a/index-ec.html
http://www.asiasource.org/asip/dalits.cfm Between the rising incidents of atrocities on Dalit community, Vijay mishra, a scholar in history and part time film maker, tries to e... more -
Just married and determined to die
There is a ceasefire in Gaza, but the BBC has found evidence of militant groups preparing for a return to violence. One group, Islamic Jihad, is training female suicide bombers. There is a ceasefire in Gaza, but the BBC has found evidence of militant groups preparing for a return to violence. One group, Islamic... more
-
Dutch 'HIV attack' trial begins
Three men have gone on trial in the Netherlands accused of deliberately infecting at least 14 other men with HIV - the virus that causes AIDS. Three men have gone on trial in the Netherlands accused of deliberately infecting at least 14 other men with HIV - the virus that caus... more
-
North Korea restores nuclear site access
UN monitors have confirmed that North Korea has restored their access to the Yongbyon nuclear site.
-
PETRELLA, EX BR, NON SARA' ESTRADATA IN ITALIA
Marina Petrella, il suo comitato, i suoi difensori, gli amici e i parenti, hanno vinto la battaglia per l'applicazione della "clausola umanitaria": l'ex brigatista, condannata all'ergastolo in Italia nel 1992 per complicità in un omicidio, non sarà estradata dalla Francia. Marina Petrella, il suo comitato, i suoi difensori, gli amici e i parenti, hanno vinto la battaglia per l'applicazione della ... more
-
ACEH, IN MIGLIAIA ACCOLGONO RITORNO LEADER SEPARATISTA
Il fondatore del movimento separatista nella provincia indonesiana di Aceh, Hasan di Tiro, e' tornato in patria dopo 30 anni di esilio. Ad accoglierlo nelle strade di Banda Aceh, la capitale della provincia indonesiana, nel nord dell'isola di Sumatra, sono accorse migliaia di persone, molte delle quali giovani che non avevano mai visto la persona che aizzo' la rivolta contro il regime del generale Suharto e che, nel 1976, fondo' la guerriglia separatista. Il fondatore del movimento separatista nella provincia indonesiana di Aceh, Hasan di Tiro, e' tornato in patria dopo 30 anni di e... more
-
Nucleare, Corea del nord riprenderà smantellamento dopo accordo
La Corea del nord ha annunciato oggi che riprenderà a smantellare i suoi impianti nucleari per la produzione di plutonio e consentirà i controlli agli ispettori, in risposta alla decisione Usa di togliere il paese dalla lista nera del terrorismo e salvare il barcollante accordo sul nucleare.
"Mentre gli Usa hanno aderito al loro impegno di una compensazione politica e una equa verifica delle procedure in linea con la fase di smantellamento...il Dprk (Corea del nord) ha deciso di riprendere lo smantellamento della struttura nucleare di Yongbyon", scrive l'agenzia di stampa nordcoreana Kcna citando un portavoce del ministero degli Esteri. La Corea del nord ha annunciato oggi che riprenderà a smantellare i suoi impianti nucleari per la produzione di plutonio e consentirà ... more -
IMF warns we are on the brink of a global 'meltdown'
We are teetering on the brink of a systematic meltdown say the International Monetary Fund. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the IMF chief, said "Intensifying solvency concerns about a number of the largest US-based and European financial institutions have pushed the global financial system to the brink of systemic meltdown."
Panic selling was how trading ended on Friday, is that how it will start on Monday? We are teetering on the brink of a systematic meltdown say the International Monetary Fund. Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the IMF chief, sai... more -
"Freedom not fear!" - 100,000s take to the streets
A broad movement of campaigners and organizations have been calling on everybody to join action against excessive surveillance by governments and businesses. On 11 October 2008, concerned people in many countries took to the streets, their motto: "Freedom not fear 2008". Peaceful and creative action, from protest marches to parties, took place in many capital cities.
# Athens (Greece)
# Belgrade (Serbia)
# Berlin (Germany)
# Bratislava (Slovakia)
# Brussels (Belgium)
# Bucharest (Romania)
# Budapest (Hungary)
# Buenos Aires (Argentina)
# Copenhagen (Denmark)
# Dublin (Ireland)
# Helsinki (Finland)
# Lisbon (Portugal)
# Ljubljana (Slovenia)
# London (England)
# Luxembourg (Luxemburg)
# Madrid (Spain)
# Manta (Ecuador)
# Nicosia (Cyprus)
# Paris (France)
# Prague (Czech Republic)
# Riga (Latvia)
# Rome (Italy)
# Skopje (Macedonia)
# Sofia (България, Bulgaria)
# Stockholm (Sweden)
# Tallin (Estonia)
# The Hague (Netherlands)
# Valletta (Malta)
# Vienna (Austria)
# Vilnius (Lithuania)
# Warsaw (Poland)
# Washington (United States)
Up to 100,000 people crowded the streets in Berlin, Germany to take part. And no one is able to estimate how many there have been worldwide. A broad movement of campaigners and organizations have been calling on everybody to join action against excessive surveillance by gove... more -
THE FASCIST BLUEPRINT
Naomi Wolf
It not only can happen here, it is happening here.
Mussolini created the blueprint (with inspiration from Lenin), Hitler elaborated on it, Stalin studied Hitler...
Here's how it works (notice how many Bush & Co. is using now.):
1. Invoke a terrifying internal and external enemy
2. Create a gulag
3. Develop a thug caste
4. Set up an internal surveillance syste
5. Harass citizens' groups
6. Engage in arbitrary detention and release
7. Target key individuals
8. Control the press
9. Dissent equals treason
10. Suspend the rule of law
Wolf's conclusion? Impeachment of Bush and Cheney is not enough. Prosecuting (and jailing) them for crimes committed is the only rational solution. Naomi Wolf It not only can happen here, it is happening here. ... more -
Fighting for the Lost in Kabul
With over 1500 deaths, 2008 is the deadliest year for Afghan civilians since the fall of the Taliban. In the middle of this chaos, a young American named Erica Gaston is working to bring recognition to the “collateral damage” of our War on Terror. Meeting with displaced families in a refugee camp in Western Kabul, she learns about an airstrike that killed 15 villagers, an attack where no one ever bothered — at the very least — to apologize. With over 1500 deaths, 2008 is the deadliest year for Afghan civilians since the fall of the Taliban. In the middle of this chaos, a y... more
-
corruption in Lancastar PA
F4J protestors have been repeatedly discriminated against by local police, politicians, and courts............Even in the face of evidence they press charges, make reports, and rule against these men when their only crime is being American. F4J protestors have been repeatedly discriminated against by local police, politicians, and courts............Even in the face of evid... more
-
Chinese Police Units Begin Entering US To Protect Assets
Reports circulating in the Kremlin today are stating that the first deployment of China’s elite People's Armed Police (PAP) under an agreement signed between the United States and China, and as we had previously reported on in our September 20th report “US Homeowners Soon To Be Evicted By Chinese Police Under New Law”, have arrived in America and begun to deploy to protect Chinese assets in this now insolvent First-World country.
Unbeknownst to the American people, however, is that since September 20th, the $700 billion bailout bill signed into law by their President yesterday was expanded from its original 3 pages to a 451 page virtual novel of new laws virtually enslaving them to the foreign holders of their debt.
Even more disturbing, these reports continue, are that these new laws not only give Chinese and European banks control over the mortgage debt of the American people, they now include their credit card balances, and which virtually the entire US populace have indebtedness to.
To how utterly chilling this new US law for the American people, titled the “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008”, Russian legal experts point out in these reports that:
“Section 101 (a)(1) establishes what is termed the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to which substantial portions of what the American people currently owe to their banks and financial institutions is to be turned over the US Government for redistribution to foreign banks.
Section 101(c)(3) Designates for the first time in American history these foreign banks as financial agents of Federal Government with full law enforcement authority over the citizens in the US.
Section 3 (b) allows the US Secretary of the Treasury to put any kind of debt, including credit card, home loans, personal loans, automobile loans, etc., into the TARP programme.
Section 112 allows the US Secretary of the Treasury to astoundingly extend financing to foreign banks to purchase the debt of the American people.
Section 112 (1)(a) allows the US Government to hold stocks in companies for the first time in their history and which completely destroys the capitalist economy of their Nation.
Section 119 (2)(a) gives the US Secretary of the Treasury dictatorial powers not reviewable by courts making this position the most powerful one in America.
Section 122 increases the US public debt to the incredible amount of $11,315,000,000,000 (Trillion)
Section 204 puts the United States under emergency economic rule and states, "all provisions of this Act are designated as an emergency requirement and necessary to meet emergency needs”.
But, these reports warn, the two most chilling measures put into this new law are titled “Section 511 "Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008” and “TITLE II-SPECIAL PROJECTS ON FEDERAL LAND Section 201”.
The new mental health provisions contained in these new laws allows the United States to label dissident citizens as being ‘mentally ill’, and the ‘Special Projects’ section allows for the reimbursement to US cities and counties for the building of concentration camps for these mentally ill dissidents.
The fear of the United States Government against their dissidents is becoming more evident as many of them are beginning to sound the alarm of events to come, and as we can see evidenced by one such report from the SteveQuale.Com website
More in link Reports circulating in the Kremlin today are stating that the first deployment of China’s elite People's Armed Police (PAP) under... more -
British army officer says U.S. can't win in Afghanistan
Some blunt remarks by a senior British army officer have again raised the issue of divergent views among North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies about the mission in Afghanistan. Some blunt remarks by a senior British army officer have again raised the issue of divergent views among North Atlantic Treaty Organis... more
-
China cautions U.S. against weapon sales to Taiwan
"Taiwan's president welcomed a U.S. decision to sell the island up to $6.5 billion in advanced weaponry, while China warned the move would damage relations between Beijing and Washington." "Taiwan's president welcomed a U.S. decision to sell the island up to $6.5 billion in advanced weaponry, while China warned ... more
-
Russian Stock Markets Suspended - International Stocks Plunge
"Trading on MICEX — where most trading takes place — was shut down at 1:35 p.m. (0935GMT) for one hour after shares dropped by 15.4 percent to 781.8 points. The benchmark RTS — where trading was halted at 2:05 p.m. (1005GMT) for an hour — tumbled to its lowest point since August 2005, falling by 14.3 percent to drop below the 1,000-point mark at 917.8 points.
The bailout does not look set to bring much immediate relief to suffering markets.
Russia's Alfa Bank in a note to investors. "With investors transfixed by the events in the U.S., buyers are scarce, and Russian markets are lurching downward on a day-by-day basis."
"Banking stocks were among the worst hit in Russia. State-controlled Sberbank, the country's largest lender — which at one point had plummeted 20 percent in early trading — shed 15 percent on MICEX, while the state-backed VTB banking concern also shed 15 percent. Mining firm Norilsk Nickel plunged by 31.4 percent on the RTS..." "Trading on MICEX — where most trading takes place — was shut down at 1:35 p.m. (0935GMT) for one hour after shares dropped by 15... more -
Nuclear deal with India 'very soon,' Rice says
Condolleeza Rice has said that she hopes a nuclear trade deal with India is close.
-
Dramatic Spike in Sickdays Caused by Downturn: "can't come in today, I&#...
The credit crunch is proving bad for our physical as well as our financial well-being.
Companies are recording a dramatic leap in the number of workers off sick.
Personnel experts say constant worries over jobs, family finances and the global economy have weakened immune systems and led to flu and gastrointestinal complaints.
They also blame rising food prices for contributing to the mass sickness epidemic as cash-strapped shoppers switch to cheap food rather than more healthy fruit and veg.
Latest figures from leading absence management company FirstCare suggest more than 380,000 people are ringing in sick every day after being struck down by either flu-like symptoms or stomach problems.
Aaron Ross, managing director of FirstCare, said: 'The credit crunch is beginning to impact on our health and productivity.
'We have seen a steady growth in sickness rates over the last 10 days, and they have been going up and up for a while.
'We have not seen anything like this before, it is very, very unusual. We occasionally see a spike in absence related to a single event, which rapidly goes down, but this has not, and there is no indication it will do.'
FirstCare records absences and excuses given for employees of scores of companies including Coca Cola, British Gas and Britain's biggest employer, the NHS.
It says in the last 10 days the number of people phoning in sick with flu-like complaints has almost doubled, and those with gastrointestinal problems - like ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - have risen by a third.
Mr Ross said: 'This represents a significant loss of working time. We would expect to see seasonal trends of approximately 308 out of every 100,000 employees absent for flu like symptoms, but this has shot up to 585.
'For gastrointestinal problems, the average of 524 absentees per 100,000 staff has risen to a record level of 697.
'Stress has also gone through the roof in the last two months. Now people are feeling it in their pocket, they are worrying about their own jobs.'
Mapped across Britain's workforce, the figures suggest around 175,000 a day are calling in sick with flu-like symptoms, and more than 205,000 staying at home with gastrointestinal problems.
Mr Ross said: 'Such significant increases will no doubt have an effect on productivity, as well as putting strain on other staff. It is a nightmare for businesses who may be struggling in the current climate to lose employees.
'It is particularly interesting that we have seen a simultaneous increase in these two ailments as they are both linked to the immune system.
'Given the current economic climate, employees feel uncertain about the future, and this stress has an adverse effect on the immune system, making us more susceptible to coughs, colds, flu and gastrointestinal complaints.
'Our immune systems are also taking a hit as a result of the high cost of fresh fruit and vegetables. As employees feel the pinch at the checkout, fresh produce is increasingly substituted for less nutritious budget options.'
Mr Ross said the company first noticed the steady increase in illnesses surge after the collapse of Lehman Brothers bank.
He added: 'I think in the last 10 days the public have been made more aware of the sense of crisis in the financial system.
'After Lehman Brothers collapsed, with thousands of people threatened with the loss of their jobs, people started worrying about their own jobs.
'And those who are off sick may feel they are more likely to lose their jobs if redundancies have to be made, which can make them worse - there is a perpetual circle.' The credit crunch is proving bad for our physical as well as our financial well-being. ... more -
New Zimbabwe government promised by this weekend
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said Monday that a new unity government will be formed by the end of the week, denying a deadlock in talks with the opposition over key ministries.
"We will be setting up government by the end of the week," Mugabe said on his return from the United Nations general assembly meeting in New York.
"We never said there was a deadlock."
Since agreeing to a landmark power-sharing deal with opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on September 15, the two sides have been locked in negotiations over how to divide control of powerful ministries, including defence, home affairs, finance and information.
Mugabe said he had tasked his negotiators before leaving for New York on September 19 with finding a way to divide the posts.
"We discussed the ministries the day before I left. There were four left which we referred to our negotiators to discuss," he said.
Tsvangirai on Saturday warned that Zimbabwe urgently needed to form a new government to ensure food supplies and prevent starvation in a country where many struggle to survive under the weight of hyperinflation last reported at 11.2 million percent -- the highest in the world.
"We need to respond to this crisis with utmost urgency," Tsvangirai said.
The power-sharing deal was heralded as a historic framework to ease Zimbabwe's political deadlock and economic melt-down.
The agreement allows Mugabe to remain as head of state after nearly three decades in power while Tsvangirai is to take up a new post of prime minister.
The 84-year-old president, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain, warned against outside interference in his country's affairs and again called on London and Washington to lift sanctions.
"We should never tolerate interference in the domestic affairs of our country," he said. "Any country which does that declares itself an enemy of Zimbabwe."
Pointing to divisions in his ruling ZANU-PF, Mugabe said power-sharing talks followed the loss of March elections to Tsvangirai.
"We had to have these talks because when we went to vote in March, some of you remained in bed instead of going out to vote. Some of you voted wrongly," he said. "We were not united."
A unity government could not be refused "when you have lost," Mugabe said, telling his supporters "we must play it safe."
The United States and the European Union have slapped targeted sanctions, including travel and financial restrictions on Zimbabwe's leadership, arguing that Mugabe has crushed human rights and ruined his country's once prosperous economy.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Saturday said the world stood ready to assist in Zimbabwe's reconstruction if a new government reflecting the will of its people is formed.
"The parlous state of the Zimbabwean economy is not the result of the international community. It is the result of mismanagement by the Mugabe regime," Miliband told reporters in New York. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe said Monday that a new unity government will be formed by the end of the week, denying a deadlock in ... more -
Nepal names 6 yr old "living goddess"
Nepal's new Maoist-led government has appointed a 6-year-old girl as a "living goddess" in a town near Kathmandu, for the first time snapping the link between the ancient ritual and the ousted monarchy.
For centuries, the head priest of the Nepali monarchy appointed the "Kumaris" in several towns in the Kathmandu valley. But with the abolition of the monarchy in May, that position has also disappeared.
Instead, officials at the state-run Trust Corporation overseeing cultural affairs appointed Shreeya Bajracharya as the new Kumari of the temple-town of Bhaktapur near Kathmandu, Deepak Bahadur Pandey, a senior official of the agency said.
"The government authorised us to appoint the Kumari and we have done that for the first time," Pandey said.
The Himalayan nation abolished the 239-year-old monarchy and became a republic in May, following elections in April that saw the country's Maoist former rebels emerge as the biggest political party in the 601-seat constituent assembly.
The Maoists now head the new government.
Shreeya was enthroned on Sunday amid prayers by Buddhist priests and will be worshipped by devout Hindus and Buddhists until reaching puberty, the girl's caretaker Nhuchhe Ratna Shakya said, adding: "She is pretty and nice."
Shreeya replaces her controversial predecessor, Sajani Shakya, who retired earlier this year, after nine years in the divine role.
Sajani made international headlines in 2007 after she visited the United States to promote a film by a British company about the Kumari system.
Some religious authorities criticised the trip, saying it was against tradition. She retired at the request of her family.
Under the Kumari tradition, girls selected from Buddhist Newar families through a rigorous cultural process become the "living goddesses."
The Kumaris are a major tourist attraction and are considered by many as incarnations of the goddess Kali and are revered until they menstruate, after which they return to the family and a new one is chosen.
Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government last month to safeguard the Kumaris human rights after complains that the practice went against the child living a normal life. Nepal's new Maoist-led government has appointed a 6-year-old girl as a "living goddess" in a town near Kathmandu, for t... more
-
related topics
International
Contributors (1,382)
International
