Srinagar July 31(Scoop News) -- The Governor,  N. N. Vohra, who is also Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, visited the Holy Cave Shrine and Panjtarni today and reviewed the status of all Yatra arrangements after the very heavy rains in the past several days.

 The Governor undertook this visit to personally take stock of various facilities, in view of the continuing bad weather conditions during the last few days.

  The Governor, accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board,  R. K. Goyal, arrived at the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji today morning and, along with the Camp Director and other Board officials spent an hour and a half in inspecting the sanitation, water, power supply and other pilgrim facilities. The Governor gave on the spot directions to the General Manager (Works) regarding the urgent repair of steps, railings etc to ensure against avoidable accidents.

  The Governor and the CEO also paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine.

 Thereafter, the Governor visited the Panjtarni Camp and inspected the Camp Area for nearly two hours, and particularly reviewed the logistical facilities for ensuring the smooth conduct of the ongoing Yatra. In view of Panjtarni emerging as an important Base Camp the Chairman asked the CEO to draw up plans for adding to the existing number of toilets and baths. He also inspected the Medical Unit, the Animal Husbandry Dispensary and the sheds for the ponies and dandi-wallahs. He issued strict instructions to the Camp Officers to ensure sanitation and cleanliness in and around the Camp and stressed the need for protecting the overall environment.

The Governor interacted with the officers of the Shrine Board, District Administration and representatives of the various concerned Government departments and agencies who have been providing services to the Yatris within the Camps. He directed all concerned officers to provide maximum possible assistance to the Yatris for their smooth pilgrimage.

            The Governor also interacted with the pilgrims at the Holy Cave and Panjtarni Camps and particularly enquired about the rates at which facilities were made available to them. The Yatris were appreciative of the facilities put in place by the Shrine Board and the Governmental agencies. They also thanked the Security Forces for facilitating their pilgrimage.

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Drass/Kargil,July 31 (Scoop News) -- The Lalit Suri Polo Cup final 2010 was held at Drass today. The match which was inaugurated by the Mangolian Ambassador H.E-V Enkhbold was organized by the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group in collaboration with Mangolian Embassy as a celebration of their 55 years of association with India.

Minister for Medical and Technical Education, Youth Services & Sports,  R.S. Chib was the Chief Guest and Minister for CA&PD,  Qamar Ali Akhoon was Guest of honour on the occasion.

In total four teams participated in the match which includes Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, Drass team, the Goshan team and Mangolian team. The tournament was won by the Lalit Suri Group.

Appreciating the efforts of Lalit Suri Hospitality Group for organizing this prestigious event in this remote area of Jammu and Kashmir,  Chib said that the event will go a long way in promoting the sports and tourism activities in the State. He conveyed his gratitude to the organizers for selecting Jammu and Kashmir for holding this tournament. He announced a  sports stadium for Drass to give boost to the sports activities in this Himalayan town.

 Qamar Ali Akhoon also spoke on the occasion and expressed his gratitude to the organizers for reviving the age-old sports in the Drass Valley. This will give aspirations to the local players in this activity. He conveyed his special thanks to Mangolian Ambassador, H.E-V. Enkhbold for gracing the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, s. Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson and Managing Director, the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, said “we are glad for hosting a magnificent show of horsemanship in the form of –The Lalit Suri Polo 2010. We had promised last year to come back and we have kept our commitment, she said. It is heartening to know that our ethos of promoting the destination through initiatives such as Drass Polo match has helped the Goshan region to come on the forefront with the government granting Rs 7.5 crore for the development of the region. The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group continues to follow its maxim of promoting the destination as a whole and not just its hotels, hence providing our guests with a holistic experience”

 Chib and  Akhoon distributed the trophies among the players.

MLA Gurez,  Nazir Ahmad Gurezi and leaders of Kargil Hill Development Council and large numbers of local people were present on the occasion.

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Jammu/Doda,July 31 ( Scoop News) – Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman-J&K National Panthers Party accused Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations to attempt to add fuel to the internal crisis in J&K. He demanded withdrawal of all UN military groups of observers from J&K who have been working for United States to foment trouble in the state.

 While addressing Panthers Party activists rally in Doda Bhim Singh urged the Prime Minister of India to act fast without any delay to save Valley of Kashmir from further deaths and destruction and respecting the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

He said that Kashmiris have rejected the present NC-Congress government which is written all every stone and wall in J&K. Now ball is in the court of Central government and they have to choose between one Omar Abdullah and 10 millions of people of J&K.

The Panthers Party strongly condemned the killings of innocent men and women in Kashmir Valley which proves without an iota of doubt that Omar Abdullah has lost the total confidence of the Kashmiris and is imposition by police guns shall prove counter-productive and against the national interest.

Bhim Singh called on Panthers Party activists to mobilize public opinion to maintain communal harmony in the state which is under difficult situation because the total failure of governmental machinery and administration in J&K.

In a special communication to the Prime Minister the Panthers Party Chief demanded imposition of Governor Rule and urged Prime Minister to convene the meeting of all the political parties in Delhi to form an acceptable democratic government in the state. He said as long as NC-Congress government continues there shall be no peace in the state in spite of bullets and stones.

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Somnath Chattarjee who was expelled from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) blamed general secretary Prakash Karat for his expulsion in his new book 'Keeping the faith :Memoirs of a Parliamentarian'.But Central leadership of CPI (M) as well as West Bengal state party secretary, Biman Bose slammed Somnath Chatterjee for his comments on CPM general secretary Prakash Karat.

In 2008,CPI(M) expelled Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee from the party on the ground of 'seriously compromising' its position.The action had been taken under Article 19 (13) of the party constitution for 'seriously compromising' the party position.Among those who attended the politburo meeting were general secretary Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, M K Pandhe, S R Pillai and Brinda Karat.Vetern Communist leader Chatterjee had been under pressure to quit the constitutional post after the four left parties withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government following their differences over the India-US nuclear deal. However, the 79-year-old veteran parliamentarian refused to toe the party line and continued as speaker of  the House during the crucial session in which the government proved its majority. "The politburo of the CPM has unanimously decided to expel Somnath Chatterjee from the membership of the party with immediate effect," a party statement said after a meeting of its politburo.'The expulsion was one of the saddest days of my life' he commented after his explusion. He suggested that future speakers should resign from their respective parties while serving as speaker of House of the People to help ensure its non-partisan standing.

In India,the chief parliamentary officer of the House of the people is the speaker.The speaker's office carries great honour and dignity.He performs his function with complete independence and impartiality.The speaker of the House of People is elected by the House from among its members as soon as a new House of the People is formed after the general election but in practice the speaker is the nominee of the majority party in the House of the People(Somnath Chatterjee is from CPI-M).The speaker is elected for the life of the House(five years).But he may be removed from his office earlier by a resolution of the House.One of the distinctive features of the office of the Speaker is that he does not vacate his office even when the House of the People is dissolved.He may continue to remain in office until a new speaker is elected by the House.Speaker presides over the meeting of the House.The primary duty of the speaker is to control debate.It is also his responsibility to see that parliamentary time is used properly.He may adjourn the House.If there is no quorum,he may suspend the meeting of the House.No member of the House of the People has the power to speak without his consent.In the House of the People,voting takes place under the direction of the speaker.The speaker is not entitled to vote in the first instance.But he may exercise a casting vote in case of a tie.The decision of the speaker is final on the question whether a particular bill is money bill or not

Indians from the tiny Awá tribe will stage a three day protest in the Brazilian Amazon from August 1st to 3rd, to prove that they exist and to demand that their land be protected from invasion.

The event, named ‘We Exist: Land and Life for the Awá Hunter-Gatherers’, has been organized by Brazilian indigenous rights organization, CIMI, the local Catholic church and several indigenous groups.

Around 100 Awá Indians are expected to participate in the protest. For most, it will be the first time they have left their forest home.

The protest will take place in Ze Doca, a town near the Awá’s land in Maranhão state in the eastern Amazon. It is in response to remarks by the local mayor’s office denying that the Awá exist.

The Awá  are one of only two nomadic hunter gatherers tribes remaining in Brazil. More than 60 Awá have no contact with outsiders and are in grave danger from illegal loggers.

Although Awá lands have been legally recognized, the Indians are being targeted by loggers, who are bulldozing roads into the forests, and by settlers, who hunt the game the Awá rely on,exposing the Indians to disease and violence.

A federal judge ruled in June 2009 that all invaders must leave the Awá territory within 180 days. However, the ruling has since been suspended, and deforestation and invasions are increasing.

Stephen Corry, Director of Survival International, said today, ‘Denying the existence of indigenous peoples is self-fulfilling and belongs to the colonial past. It’s also a crime: deny they exist and they won’t exist, they’ll disappear like so many Brazilian tribes before them. If Brazil wants to be viewed as a leading nation, the authorities must no longer tolerate violations like this.’



To read this story online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/6276

 

            Srinagar, July 30 (Scoop News)– J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Friday said that the onus of channelizing the energy of youth positively lies on every one’s shoulders. He said “youth are our future and their proper nurturing is our responsibility”. However, he added that some are bent upon to divert the anger of younger generation in negative direction for self motives. “They have no regard either for the career of youth or for the future of the State”.

            Addressing All India National Integration Camp of NCC here, the Chief Minister said that those who are associated with organizations like NCC cultivate young person’s as disciplined, qualified, responsible and capable citizens to take care of the future and safeguard the interests of the society and the country.

            On recent happenings in the Valley, Omar said that government is out to convenience the people all across that exploitation of youth is in no way any body’s interest and civil society has responsibility to protect the youth from falling prey in the hands of vested interests. He said government is taking appropriate measures to take the State out of the difficult period. He said there is a light at the end of every tunnel how long it may be and asked the people in general and youth in particular to rise to the occasion and play their important role in helping the government to fizz out the present difficult situation.

            Omar Abdullah said that Jammu and Kashmir is the abode of different cultures, heritages, faiths and traditions. “It symbolizes the uniqueness of amity and unity in diversity since ages”, he told the NCC cadets and asked them to discover Jammu and Kashmir’s in its real perspective and beauty. “Let the next All India camp of NCC be again organized here and traveling of the cadets to various areas and natural resorts be made a part of the schedule”, he said adding that Kashmir has more to offer to the world than the bad news of disturbance some times.

            The Chief Minister expressed the hope that NCC cadets will play their role in linking more and more youth of the State with their rank and file to help safeguard their future and mould younger generation into citizens of par excellence.

            Omar Abdullah also distributed medals and certificates to the outstanding cadets on the occasion and prayed for the betterment and bright future for all the youth. 

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 Jammu,July 30 (Scoop News) -Various organizations have strongly condemned the incident of hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs by some miscreants in Pulwama on wedenesday and urged the Chief Minister  to get all the accused arrested within two days, otherwise they would be compelled to launch massive agitation in J&K, Punjab and other states.

 

Prof. Bhim Singh, Chairman JKNPP strongly condemned the incident in Tral, Kashmir where a Sikh gentleman was insulted and his religious faith was dishonoured by some anti-social miscreants. While condemning the incident the Panthers Party Chairman praised the Sikh fraternity for showing patience and demonstrating secular fervour during   their strong protest in Kashmir, Jammu and elsewhere.

  The Panthers Party Chief demanded stern action against the culprits appealing the majority community to condemn such incidents which attempt to disturb century’s old brotherhood and communal harmony in the state. 

 

Panun Kashmir expressed deep anguish and shock over the reported barbaric act of chopping off hair and disrespecting turban of a Sikh youth of Tral Village of Kashmir by an unruly group of majority community. Addressing the conclave of party workers PK convener Dr. Agnishekhar condemned the ideology of religious fundamentalism and brazen communalism of the forces responsible for such inhuman act.

                                 Dr. Agnishekhar said in a statement that this is second such incident after July 12, when in Gaddapora Tral, one Sikh school boy Amandeep Singh was also beaten by a similar unruly group of youngsters belonging to the majority community and his hair chopped off. This approach of the mob once again reflects the deceitful mindset of Jihadi forces with regards to non-muslim minorities in Kashmir Valley.

         He said Government of India should examine how state government on one hand is trying to expedite the process of formulation and implementation of economic and rehabilitation packages for thousands of surrendered militants, stone-pelters, ex-militants ranging between 20,000 to 25,000 and other militancy-affected families of Kashmiri Muslims and on the other hand it is trying its best to ensure the exclusion of displaced Kashmiri Hindus from the mainstream of Kashmir at all levels.

Dr. Agnishekhar questioned the state government’s decision to constitute a commission of enquiry which will go into the genesis of the circumstances that led to recent seventeen deaths during the ongoing stone pelting row in the valley. This decision is fraught with serious implications and is a part of a deliberate design to malign, implicate and discourage the security forces who are bravely fighting armed anti-Indian insurgency in the Valley. He said that the chief minister Omar Abdullah has publically accused PDP leaders and other “vested Interests” of fomenting such trouble and should muster courage to initiate legal proceedings against them, instead of demoralizing police and security forces involved in fighting the Jehadi and anti-Indian forces.

 

                      Sangarsh Samiti also condemned the attck on minority Sikh Community in the Kashmir Valley.Convenor of the Samiti said state govt.failed

to protect the minorities living in the Kashmir valley.During 1989-90 Kashmiri Pandits were forced to leave the Kashmir Valley and now the Sikhs are being forced to leave the Kashmir Valley.They are forced to join the anti-India protests in the valley but when a sikh youth refused to do so ,the anti-national muslims cut the hairs of that Sikh boy.

 Attacks on securiry forces, burning of Indian Tri-colour,anti india slogens and now attack on Sikh community proved that their is no govt.functioning in the Kashmir Valley.State government is showing its loyality towards sepratists in Valley,said in a statement.

Sangarsh Samiti demanded that minorities should be given protection and army should be deployed and given free hands in kashmir valley to control the current situation.

 

Hundreds of BJP activists Led by Jammu Distt. President Rajesh Gupta took out a protest rally against the unfortunate act that took place in Tral.
The party activists also burnt the effigy of the State government for its total failure in protecting the minorities in valley.
Rajesh Gupta, while condemning this act, said that after forcing out the Kashmiri Hindus from the valley, attempts are now being made to insult, harass and force the other minorities to leave their homes and hearths in the valley. Describing it as  a  “Talibani approach”, he said originated from Pakistan, reached PoK and now in Kashmir. It needs to be checked immediately and with a firm hand before the situation gets worsened in the state.

    Gupta said that the members of the Sikh community have been living in different parts of Kashmir and never hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims or others. Our religion teaches respect for all the faiths and treating every individual as a human being irrespective of his religion, caste, creed, colour or social status. He asked right thinking Kashmiri leaders to come forward and ensure that anti-national elements / miscreants do not indulge in such acts, which  can  raise fingers over the centuries old tradition of brotherhood and communal harmony.

 

Shiromani Akali Dal, Jammu & Kashmir United Sikh Forum and various other Sikh bodies have strongly condemned the incident of hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs by some miscreants in Pulwama.

United Sikh Forum leader Sudershan Singh Wazir said that lakhs of Sikhs in the State and even outside have been shocked and hurt with the gory incident of showing disrespect to the hair (Kesh) of a Sikh youth of Beerwah in Pulwama by some fundamentalists from a particular community. They have tried to damage spirit of centuries old communal harmony and brotherhood of Kashmiri culture and ethos.

Wazir warned such mischievous elements to refrain from repeating such incidents otherwise the cause of Kashmiriyat shall be harmed and it may prove counterproductive. He further warned that such attempts of provocation can show counter reaction not only in other parts of J&K but in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and other states. He said by causing damage to the `Kesh’ of a Sikh, the miscreants have done a serious crime and they should be punished severely. It is attack on the fundamental rights of a citizen and violation of Human Rights. He asked such elements if was it only HR violation when somebody is killed in security forces firing in Kashmir. Has the HR violation separate meaning in their dictionary in Kashmir. He said Constitution of India safeguards every citizen with fundamental rights and they have committed HR abuse.

                     Former Rajya Sabha member and vice president of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sardar Trilok Singh Bajwa strongly condemning sacrilege act in Tral area of Kashmir Valley. He blamed National Conference led coalition regime for such incident.

In a statement issued here today Trilok Singh Bajwa said that law and order situation has been deteriorating in the State and government has been totally failed to control it. He said that on the one hand killing of people has been going unabated while on the other such incident has been occurred which is highly condemnable.

Bajwa said that since formation of Omar Abdullah led government situation has been deteriorating because the Chief Minister was not aware of the ground realities of the State. Instead of coming to the aspirations of the people, the government has been   adopting oppressive measures which led to further deterioration of the situation. He said that no one safe in the State as the government was not in position to protect lives and property of the people.

PDP vice president said that this regime has proved ominous for the State because since formation of this government law and order situation has been deteriorating and government has not control over the administration. He further said that due to its failure to deliver good governance, this regime has lost credibility.

While condemning the incident at Tral, Bajwa said that need of the hour was to maintain communal harmony and brotherhood at this juncture when State has been passing through a crucial time. “Government is not in a position to stop incident so it is responsibility of all sections of the society to come forward and to save the situation from further worsening”, he said.

 

Jammu & Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned the attempts by mischievous elements to create hatred and dis-affection amongst different communities and cautioned the people against the designs of  such forces.

 

In a statement senior leaders of the party have strongly condemned the incidents aimed at fomenting trouble and hatred amongst the people of  different faiths and asked the people to be aware of the designs of such elements who are bent up on to disturb the age old traditional harmony and brotherhood in the state. They appealed to the people to defeat such designs and maintain peace and harmony. They asked administration to take stern action against such elements and book them under law.

The signatories include S/Shri Mangat Ram Sharma, Dharmpal Sharma, Amrit Malhotra-MLC, Th. Hari Singh, Yash Pal Khajuria, S. Gurmukh Singh, Ravinder Sharma-MLC, Mula Ram, S. Amolak Singh, Smt. Kanta Bhan, Vinod Sharma, Ravi Singh Salathia, Tallenter Singh, Bhagwan Singh and others.

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Countdown starts for Bengalies' favourite festival Durga Puja.Four days of festival recalls the power of female Shakti (power) symbolized by the Goddess Durga who killed asura(demon) to re-establish peace and sanctity on universe again.Bengalies all over the world purchase gifts for dear ones.Durga puja is an occasion when the familiar sound of Dhak,Dhunuchi nachh,the fragrance of Shiuli (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis,Shiuli flower is the official flower of the state of West Bengal) are synomous to Durga festival.The Festival starts from sasthi,the six day after the new moon.The drum beats are an integral part of any Durgadhaki (drummer) held on the shoulder and is beaten with two sticks.The 10 handed Goddess Durga made up of clay is on top of a lion.Her hands carry different weapons in them except two which holds the spear which has been struck into the chest of Mahishasura (demon).The four children are accompanying Durga are Laxmi,the goddess of wealth,Saraswati,the Goddess of knowledge,kartik,the god of warship and Ganesha,the elephant faced god representing everything that is good.

Devotees line up from the early hours to offer flowers (anjali). After the prayers, the Prasad (sacred food) is distributed. Priests perform rituals by chanting religious verses.Bengalies prefer non-vegetarian foods in this day.he famous Autumn festival of Bengal comes to an end with the immersion of the idols of Goddess Durga in the river Ganges or nearby lakes or ponds.Visharjan (immersion) is the official end of the Durga puja (worship).During Sindur khela (Vermillion game), married women greet each other after offering prayer to the Mother God at their puja mandop (makeshift temple).It begins after priests complete the ritual to end the puja.During sindur khela they greet each other after offering prayer to the Goddess.They apply Sindur to the Goddess’s head and offer sweets and  greet each other.Immersion take place in nearby water body or river sides.After the immersion, younger ones touch the feet of elder ones to pay their respect

Chitral besieged due to havoc rian and flash flood. Communication system compounded.

CHITRAL: Due to continue rain and havoc flood and land sliding people of Chitral besieged in the valley. Some 22 houses were damaged in Bumborate of Kalsh valley while main road to Bumborate and Rumbor valley have been blocked for all type of vehicular traffic at Dobash. Similarly Garamchishma, Tehsil Lutko, Tehsil Mulko, Torkoh, Booni, Madaglasht, Mastuj and Peshawar roads are still blocked for traffic. So many shops and stores and some houses also damaged by heavy flood at Garamchishama, Booni, Karimabad etc.   Communication system has been badly compounded due to land sliding, flash flood, heavy stones and debris on the road. Besides it hundred of households were besieged in Golain valley due to damaging two link bridges to the entire valley as a result hundred of people strained within two mountains and there is no way of escape except to ascent on a hill way.  Male persons of the valley climbing on mountain to reach their houses but women and children can not cross this difficult way on mountains. Lives of these people are in great danger Safirullah a social worker of the area told this scribe. On one hand links roads to the different valleys are blocked while on the other hand telephone system including mobile phones and wireless loop also remained out of order and not working to inform affected people in case of emergency to save their lives from any thread. Supply of electricity has been suspended due to falling of poles of transmission line from national Grid station Dir to Chitral. People of the area have appeal provincial as well as federal government for allocation of special fund to relief and compensate affected people of the area and to restore traffic on different roads.  As well as due to closing of main Chitral Peshawar road shortage of edible things also created an other problems for the people of entire district.  A spokesman of Grid Station Operation staff told on telephone from Nation Grid station Dir that power supply to Dir grid and furthermore to Chitral has been suspended on Wednesday at 7. 55 PM and still suspended due to falling of tower poles and heavy transmission lines.


G.H. Farooqi PO box No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone No. 03025989602, 0943-302295, 414418
Email: gulhamad@gmail.com
 

Night has descended on the green tops of Margalla Hills, where debris of ill-fated Air Blue ABQ-202 is scattered.

The Air Blue plane crash in Islamabad is most deadliest in aviation history of Pakistan, causing 152 deaths of passengers and crew members.

Starting from the time when news of crash was first reported, to this late hour, the authorities have put on a show of organized mismanagement, with the media in tow like rabid hounds.

To start of with, it was reported that there are survivors in the crash, even Rehman Malik announced that, and at the last moment it was declared that no one was alive. They just can't realize what they did with the families of Air Blue passengers, who build their hopes, to be washed out by pathetic authorities.

The way media played with public sentiments, displaying animations, circulating raw footage of the debris, making comments and asking stupid questions, disastrous reporting, indeed.

Roles of CAA and Air Blue are equally condemnable. They did nothing to facilitate the families and to update them with latest news about the crash. In fact, Air Blue kept displaying the flight as "On Time" its web site many hours after the crash (Image via fawwaxs).


 
Express Tribune went a step ahead to "re-construct" a dialog between Pilot of Air Blue flight and Airport Traffic Control tower, as follows:

Control tower’s first warning: You are getting away from the runway.

Pilot’s response: We can see the runway.

Control tower’s second warning: Turn to your left immediately, you are heading towards Margalla Hills.

Pilot’s response: We can see that.

This was the last reply form the pilot and then the flight lost its contact with the control tower and soon after it crashed.

Apparently, its totally fabricated and this has been noticed by their readers too, as one reader, Ahsan Zafeer, comments:

I don’t believe this is the correct usage of ATC language. This report is just based on emotions and nothing else. There could be a technical or pilot error but leave that for the professionals to determine. I am utterly ashamed of the media towards covering this story. Pakistani media has no ethics whatsoever. Dawn news was having a blast to hear that a plane had crashed. Ary was boasting it was the first one to break the news. Geo started playing the blame game on authorities. Has anyone considered the terrain they had to conquer, had anyone thought of the weather. For the sake of humanity and the dimming hope of a civilized society, please refrain from making such judgement and from publishing stories that make no logical sense nor has credibility. Pakistani media is just like to jaahil women fighting over nonsense. Have some shame. If one innocent dies in Pakistan, consider it a loss for the nation.

  Cross posted at

Chowrangi.com

 

 

WHY THE SRI LANKAN REGIME DETESTS THE MAINSTREAN DIASPORE-A REJOINDER   This appeared in groundreport.com on July 17, 2010. There was one comment on the article and this called for a response given below.   The commentator’s ‘why are we still doing this’? response to the article on the diaspora urging UN war crimes action against SL genocide only erodes the credibility of his claim that he is a member of the diaspora. In fact it is evidence of his role as a SL genocide apologist par excellent. No Tamil who suffered the pain of the horrendous SL genocide will preach that the Tamils ‘work with Colombo to improve the lot of the SL Tamils’.   The world is unreservedly convinced on the barbaric brutality of the SL genocide and discounts SL’s sincerity in producing outcomes from Tamils  ‘work(ing) with Colombo’. Consequently the UN is proposing ‘crimes against humanity’ action against SL. The mainstream Tamils are also unlikely to forgive SL for the raw scars the six long decades of brutal SL genocide left in the psyche of the Tamils. The brutality of the SL genocide included not only the massacres of tens of thousands but also unparalleled mass internments and atrocities on hundreds of thousands of Tamils, their repeated displacements and painful dispossessions impoverishing amost all Tamils. Over 1.5 million of the impoverished and ethnic cleansed Tamils became refugees that only the enlightened West accepted and rehabilitated. They form the mainstream Tamil diaspora. Massacres, mass internments, dispossession and displacements on SL’s scale are unheard of in genuine multi-cultural societies like Singapore.   Hence though the international community attaches the UN ‘crimes against humanity’ tag on SL, this commentator strangely scoffs off SL genocide atrocities as mis-information to join in the SL genocide regime’s chorus.   Committed to the ‘winner takes all’ (Kohona) logic SL is systematically settling Buddhist Sinhalas into the homes of the Tamils to displace and dispossess the Tamils further in the very heart of the Tamil homelands for which it unashamedly uses funds provided by other countries including India to redress the injustices done to the Tamil victims. This is the cruelest form of ethnic cleansing (post May 2009) to create a ‘mono-ethnic’ Buddhist-Sinhala SL, the anti-thesis of ‘multiculturalism’. This commentator tragically turns the tables on the Tamil victims blaming them for trying ‘to create a mono-ethnic Tamil nation’; an extra-ordinary charge. Would ‘working with Colombo(‘s)’  ‘mono-ethnic’ SL policies ‘... improve the lot of the SL Tamils’?   The answer is ‘no’ for Tamil politicians in pre-militant (1983) years sincerely attempted to ‘work with Colombo’ for over three decades but SL reciprocated with a genocide that systematically killed and maimed the Tamils living in the South, destroying their homes/assets, displacing them into fleeing for their safety to the North (the ‘Tamil homelands’) or overseas as refugees. Linguistic states are the foundation on which the unity of India Union rests. To equate SL’s racial policies to the policies of, for example, Singapore or even India, shining examples of ‘multiculturalism’ is most dishonest. Comments of the eminent elder statesman Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore on SL’s racialism are most enlightening to all, except this class of SL apologists/commentators.        

The centenary celebrations of Mohun Bagan Athelitic Club's historic achievement of becoming the first Indian team to win the IFA Shield in 1911 is going on with much fun fare at their Club tent.Mohun Club conferred club's highest honour 'Mohun Bagan Ratna' posthumously to ten of the 11 players who defeated British army side East Yorkshire Regiment 2-1 in the title clash July 29, 1911.The victory had boost the morale of the country fighting to gain independence from the British rule.Mohun Bagan was the first Indian club which lifted the IFA shield by defeating a British club.

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  On 15th august 1889,the Mohun Bagan Mohun Bagan Sporting Club was founded by an eminent lawyer Bhupendranath Basu, who later became the president of Indian National Congress. The first meeting of the club presided by Bhupendranath Basu himself, was held at his residence at 14,Balaram Ghosh Street of North Calcutta. The first ground of the football club was inside the marble palace also in north calcutta,owned by local zamindar Kirti Mitra.

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Cross posted from Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet.

 

It might feel counterintuitive, but the more varieties of vegetables, plants, and insects that are included in a garden, the less vulnerable any single crop becomes. Mans Lanting of ETC Foundation India wrote in LEISA Magazine in 2007 that the best method of approaching pest control is to learn to live in harmony with pests instead of trying to fight them. By harnessing the natural state of vegetation and pests, a farmer can create “a system in which no component can easily dominate” and in which soil and crop quality is greatly improved.

 

 

In other words, the tendency for traditional farming to give preference to specific crops, to plant in clean rows, to weed out any invasive plants, and to use chemicals to prevent pests and disease is actually creating a need for these pesticides and fertilizers. Soil fertility decreases when crops are harvested, and growing a single crop means that the soil is further stripped of nutrients with each season, requiring the use of inputs that, according to Lanting, lead to an imbalance in plant nutrition and increase vulnerability to pests and diseases. This introduces the need for pesticides, which cost more money and create toxic runoff that can damage the local environment.

 

The result is a self-perpetuating war against infertile soil and a burgeoning pest population.

 

Instead, Lanting recommends taking an alternative approach, mimicking the diversity that takes place in nature and creating a garden that relies on natural systems to provide nutrients as well as pest and disease control.

 

Farm biodiversity can be improved by integrating border crops, trees, and animals. Farmers can also include trap crops—crops that attract insects away from the main crop—which include Indian mustard, sunflower, marigold, soybeans, and French beans, as well as crops that promote insect predators such as pulses for beetles, okra for lace wing, and coriander, sorghum, and maize for trichogramma (small wasps). Visual barriers can be used to help “hide” crops from pests. The diamond backed moth, for example, has to be able to see cabbage in order to find it—and destroy it before a harvest.

 

Nourishing the Planet saw some of these techniques being implemented at Enaleni Farm, a demonstration farm run by Richard Haigh in Durban, South Africa. Haigh cultivates traditional maize varieties that are resistant to drought, climate change, and disease, and he practices push-pull agriculture, which uses alternating intercropping of plants that repel pests with ones that attract pests in order to increase yields. He also applies animal manure and compost for fertilizer. Haigh likes to say that his farm isn’t organic, but rather an example of how agro-ecological methods can work. (See Valuing What They Already Have)

 

Using these methods, a farmer will have a garden with at least 10 crops, creating an ecosystem that resembles one found in nature. The soil is more fertile, and the insects and diseases are distracted and preyed upon so that their impact is less concentrated. In a sense, a farmer needs to let the garden get wild in order to protect it from the wild.

 

To read more about chemical-free farming practices see: In Botswana, Cultivating an Interest in Agriculture and Wildlife Conservation, Malawi’s Real Miracle, Emphasizing Malawi’s Indigenous Vegetables as Crops, and Finding ‘Abundance’ in What is Local.

 

Thank you for reading! As you may already know, Danielle Nierenberg is traveling across sub-Saharan Africa visiting organizations and projects that provide environmentally sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty.  She has already traveled to over 18 countries and visited 130 projects highlighting stories of hope and success in the region. She will be in Benin next, so stay tuned for more writing, photos and video from her travels.  

 

If you enjoy reading this diary, we blog daily on  Nourishing the Planet, where you can also sign up for our newsletter to receive weekly blog and travel updates.  Please don’t hesitate to comment on our posts, we check them daily and look forward to an ongoing discussion with you. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

 

Two Na’vi from James Cameron’s film Avatar today paid a visit to British mining companyVedanta Resources’ Annual General Meeting in Westminster, London.

The Na’vi joined tribal rights organization Survival International in a demonstration against Vedanta, over its controversial plan to mine the sacred mountain of India’s Dongria Kondh tribe.

Martin Horwood MP, Chair of the all-party parliamentary group for tribal peoples, also attended the AGM, whilst former Monty Python star Michael Palin sent a message of support: ‘I've been to the Nyamgiri Hills in Orissa and seen the forces of money and power that Vedanta Resources have arrayed against a people who have occupied their land for thousands of years, who husband the forest sustainably and make no great demands on the state or the government. The tribe I visited simply want to carry on living in the villages that they and their ancestors have always lived in.’

Vedanta's AGM was the same day that British Prime Minister David Cameron met Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh. Martin Horwood MP wrote to David Cameron urging him to raise the issue of the plight of the Dongria Kondh at the meeting.

The Dongria Kondh tribe have been described as ‘the real Avatar tribe’ because their plight closely parallels that of the aliens in James Cameron’s blockbuster.

Vedanta Resources is majority-owned by billionaire Mayfair resident Anil Agarwal.

In the past month Vedanta has suffered three major blows to its mining plans. India’s Environment and Forests Minister ordered an investigation into the Dongria’s rights to their forest; the Chief Secretary of Odisha state ordered a separate probe on the same topic; and leading Dutch investment firm PGGM announced it had sold its stake in Vedanta over human rights concerns.

Previous shareholders who have sold their stake include the  Norwegian government, the Church of England and the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.


Download photos of the demonstration at Vedanta's AGM (more photos will be available shortly)



To read this story online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/6273

Land sliding continue in Susum village might causing for bid accident.

CHITRAL:  Land sliding is continue in Susum village of Karimabad valley in north of Chitral. Former district Naib Nazim Chitral Sultan Shan told this scribe from Susum his residence on telephone that continue land sliding is a great thread for this area and might be causing for great human and property loss if the people of the area were not shifted to some safe place. He said that all roads to the entire valley are totally blocked for all type of vehicular traffic and there is no other source of communication. He said that high school of the area is direct hit in the land sliding hence it is not possible to ascertain that any human loss have been reported in the area or not because of no communication network he added. He said that no rescue activities have been started in the valley so far. He expressed fear of great human and property loss if precasionary measurement were not adopted. He said that people of the area should to be shifted to some safe place so as to save them from death.

 He appeal to district administration as well as provincial and federal government to send their rescue teams to the area to escape besieged people and to shift them to safe place otherwise a great human loss would be occurred if they not taken any step timely.
 

Tremendous flood blocked Chitral valley.

CHITRAL: After continue rain  from Tuesday night different flood streams (nullah) caused for blocking the valley. First flood erupted in Karimabad valley where it flashed away some 5 bridges. According to SHO police station Shughoor flood came during midnight of Tuesday and Wednesday as a result some 4 to 5 bridges were damaged by flash flood. He told that main Garamchishma and Tehsil Lutkoh road was blocked by heavy flood at Shughoor. Road blocked for all type of vehicular traffic and there is no traffic on Garamchishma road. Besides it Main Booni road was also blocked at Ziat village as a result traffic suspended between Tehsil Mastuj and Chitral. More over main Peshawar Chitral road was also blocked at Ziarat village and there is no traffic between Peshawar Chitral. Hence no human loss has been reported until filling of this report. Main Peshawar road also has been blocked at Mina Khwar Dir side and National Highway Authority (NHA) staff has started their rescue activities to remove depress and open the road to restore traffic between Peshawar Chitral.  Project Director of Lawari tunnel Liaqat Ali told this scribe that debris was removed at Ziarat and road was opened from Chitral side hence he said that NHA are trying to remove debris at Mirgah and Mina Khwar to restore traffic between Chitral and Peshawar.  Meanwhile it could not ascertain that either any human loss or casualty occurred by tremendous flood or not because there is no communication system in the area. Fazal Khan Chairman PPP of Union Council Shughor told this scribe that due to tremendous flood pipeline of water supply scheme to this area and water channel of a local hydro power station was also damaged by flash flood. Road is completely blocked and people of the area walking by feet hence their lives in great danger because of rolling stones from mountain and falling of debris.


G.H. Farooqi PO box No. 50 GPO Chitral Pakistan phone No. 03025989602, 0943-302295, 414418
Email: gulhamad@gmail.com, gulhamadfarooqui@yahoo.com
 

Sensational  sting operations carried out  by TV channels in India have raised some unanswered questions.Deception may play a major role in any undercover operation.But the information obtained must be of profound importance.It must be of vital interest such as revealing great system failure at the top levels or it must prevent profound harm to individuals.

Radio &Television News Directors Association(RTNDA) provides some guidelines:
What is the role of video in the story?Does it bring real value?
Is it necessary to use a hidden camera in this story?why? Does the story involve insignificant Private matters(even if emotional)or are there matters of vital public concern,prevention of profound harm or system failure?
Is the rationale for the story simply to win a prize or beat the competition?
Do your motives involve getting the story quickly and cheaply,rationalizing that others have done it or that the story subjects themselves unethical?
Are hidden-cameras to be used primarily to create drama?Can a visible camera be used with the same impact?
Have you used all traditional means to investigate the story,including interviews and reviewing public records and documents?
What happens if the reporters cover is blown?
Can a reporter lie to maintain his cover?
What happens if the reporter sees a crime being committed?
Where will the camera be used in a public place?quasi Public? Private home?
Will the reporter enter private property without consent or owners to tape?
Will editing be allowed to alter contents?

Former Indian Administrative service officer B.Raman asked several unpleasant questions regarding the massive use of spy cams in sting operations in India such as:Was there a metal detector in any of the places visited by the journalists? If so, how was it they didn't sound the alarm on detecting the batteries and the transmission cord? /Was the activation mechanism automatic or manual? If manual, it must have been activated before the journalists entered the presence of those interviewed and the equipment must have video-recorded their conversations with others too such as the security guards, the personal assistants etc. Where are those recordings? /Was there an editing of the recordings? If so, to what extent and for what purpose? That there has probably been considerable editing is apparent to even a lay observer. Modern cameras automatically record the dates on which the shots were taken. The dates seem to have been edited. Why? /Is there a concurrent written record of the various stages of the sting operation from which one could see how many times a person was interviewed and what subjects figured during each conversation?/Has there been a morphing, interposing, substitution etc of the images-conversations and were these done manually or were they computer-generated? etc.

LONDON: 28 July, 2010

Humanitarian organization Press For Peace (PFP) has expressed satisfaction over latest developments on Middle East Peace Process.

"Press for Peace (PFP) understands that direct peace talks are possible with the Israelis when settlement activities are frozen and Israel is cooperating with international peace makers,"

 Executive Director Press for Peace Zafar Iqbal said in a statement here on Thursday.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas on Monday stressed that the Palestinians are ready for direct peace negotiations with Israel, denying he was avoiding such talks.

Iqbal expressed that Israeli PM's surprise visit to Jordan is yet another example that Israel is seriously engaging in the peace process.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II on the Middle East peace process during a previously unannounced visit to Amman on Tuesday.

"Press for Peace counts it another good opportunity to avail long lasting peace in Middle East." PFP head said.

This visit comes as Israel and the Palestinians are at loggerheads over holding direct peace talks and ahead of an Arab League.

He said the parties - Israelis, Palestinians, Arabs, Europeans and Americans - have really to engage in a meaningful peace process.

 

Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud faced protests by supporters of the Penan in the UK today, while British MPs have written to him expressing concern over the newly documented cases of sexual abuse of Penan women.

Protestors from Survival International and other organizations greeted the Chief Minister in Oxford this morning, where he had travelled with cabinet colleagues to give the keynote speech at the Inaugural Oxford Global Islamic Branding and Marketing Forum. The protestors held placards reading ‘Penan tribe say NO to logging’ and ‘Malaysia: Stop destroying the Penan tribe’. The protest forced the Chief Minister to enter the building through a side entrance.

The chairman of the British parliament’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Tribal peoples, MP Martin Horwood, has written to Taib Mahmud on the occasion of the Chief Minister’s visit to the UK. ‘The Penan have frequently been subject to violence and intimidation at the hands of loggers operating on their land… Without recognition of their land rights, the Penan are struggling to provide for themselves, and are left vulnerable to violence and exploitation’.

Mr Horwood urged the Chief Minister to ‘haltlogging and other developments on the Penan’s land without their free, prior and informed consent, according to international law’ and to ‘ensure that Penan women and girls are protected from sexual violence and the perpetrators of such abuse brought to justice’.

Download photos of the Oxford demonstration

Download a copy of the All Party Parliamentary Group’s letter to the Chief Minister



To read this story online: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/6267

 On 5th of July, the opposition parties of India called for a nationwide shutdown, to protest against the federal government’s failure to check price rise, especially that of fuel.

 The 24 hour shot down call came under heavy criticism by media which was prompt in pointing out that the country would suffer a loss of 13,000 crore or 2.8 billion US dollar because of a 24-hour bandh.

Now, imagine this: A state shut down for, hold your breath, 66 days!!!

 And this is a landlocked state with very little cultivable land producing very little food. A state that has very little local produce and depends heavily on other states for food and other items of need.

Sounds unbelievable? Well, it IS the truth.

On 12th of April this year, two Naga political groups (though, incredibly they call themselves ‘students groups’) called for the blockade on National Highway 39 (Imphal-Dimapur) and National Highway 53 (Imphal-Jiribam). The groups were protesting elections to the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in Manipur hills and Manipur government's decision to ban entry of Thuingaleng Muivah, the general secretary of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isaac-Muivah group) – the outfit fighting for separation from India for decades – into Manipur.

 Within days of the blockade, Manipur plunged into an unprecedented crisis in Manipur. The two highways under blockade are the lifelines for the state where all supplies reach through trucks. The blockade meant supply trucks couldn’t move in. Before a week had passed, Manipur had shortages of all essentials, including life saving drugs, foodstuffs and fuel.

 Finally, on June 18, the All Naga Students’ Association of Manipur called off the blockade. But by then the misery of common citizens was complete. Hostels in schools and colleges had been shut, as there was no food in the kitchen and no power supply. Students were forced to leave. Hospitals stopped taking in patients. All construction work stopped. Temporary workers became jobless. Daily wage laborers were the worst hit.

 Now, braving this chaos and agony, a community correspondent kept up her effort to report the story of a state under sieze. But how hard was it for her to do the story? Here is a picture: 

The blockade created a huge fuel shortage which, in turn, crippled the transport service. Petrol prices, shot up to Rs 160 a litre and auto and bus fares multiplied. Due to this, shooting of the video itself became an uphill task for Achungmei as she couldn’t travel. Because of power cuts, she couldn’t charge the batteries of her camera for days. Many a times, there was no food at home as the market was closed and sometimes there was no food because there was no cooking gas. While shooting, she was also treated with suspicion and disrespect by many as she was a Naga tribal. Even after the end of the blockade, her family, like thousands others, do not have cooking gas as cylinders are not available.

 Achungmei’s video, titled 'Economic Blockade Cripples Manipur, published only after the blockade  that captures the community perspective as vividly as it can be. And it leaves one with the mixed feelings of frustration and hope. Frustration,  because, even after 69 days of agony, the fear of yet another new blockade still looms large.

 And hope, because, there is a lone community voice that would never keep shut, no matter how difficult the time is.